Veenas

Veenas are a family of plucked string instruments from the Indian subcontinent, known for their long necks, resonant bodies often incorporating gourds, and fretted fingerboards. The term veena (or vina) comes from Sanskrit and broadly denotes a string instrument. Veenas have played a central role in both Carnatic (South Indian) and Hindustani (North Indian) classical music traditions and are frequently associated with Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and arts.

The principal varieties include the Saraswati veena, Rudra veena, and the Vichitra veena. The Saraswati veena is a prominent South Indian instrument with a carved wooden body and a large resonator, typically plucked with a plectrum and fretted for precise pitch. It combines melody and drone strings to sustain rich, intricate melodic lines characteristic of Carnatic music. The Rudra veena is a large Hindustani instrument with a long neck and two gourd resonators; it is usually fretted and valued for its deep, drone-rich sound and its use in the dhrupad tradition. The Vichitra veena is a modern, fretless Hindustani instrument with a broad body; it integrates multiple strings for melody and drone and is plucked to produce gliding, ornamented tones.

Construction details vary by type, but common elements include a wooden neck, a resonator chamber (often gourd-based), set of playing strings, drone or sympathetic strings, and a bridging or fret system. Veenas are played with a plectrum or fingers on the right hand while the left hand presses notes on the frets, enabling a range of tonal shading and microtonal precision.