A stringed instrument of India; has a long neck and movable frets.
Indian stringed instrument, of the lute family. It has a pear-shaped body and long neck supported by an additional gourd resonator at the opposite end. A principal solo instrument, it has seven metal strings extending over movable frets and two concealed strings that provide a continuous drone. It is played with a plectrum, producing a luminous and supple melody responsive to nuances of pressure. Its most celebrated exponent in the West has been Ravi Shankar.