SITAR THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

Sitar is a handmade instrument which belongs to the lute family and has its origin from South Asia.

It is larger than its European partner guitar) by having more strings and featuring its unique sound. This unique sound is due to its two layered strings with a deep and curved chamber. It is mostly known for its role in Hindustani music as it is considered as the main instrument of the Hindustani culture. Stringed instruments has its existence since hundreds of years.

They are the oldest types of instruments made by people. Sitar is a fusion of two instruments. One was veena which is 3,000years old instrument. Second was seetar’ i.e three stringed instrument, newly introduced to north India that was carried by first Persian Muslim soldier who arrived during 800AD. During the reign of Mughal rule in northern India and Pakistan, as the cultural and political turmoil begun the instruments and music evolved with it. Thus

sitar flourished during 16th 17th century by native Indian court musicians, who made the modifications and bought in the changes to veena with the taste of Persian nobility and the Persians would give an adaption of their instrument name seetar to this as Sitar’. And the present form of sitar flourished during 18th century. After India and Pakistan gained independence in 1940s sitar was left as the court instrument for both the nations. In later days in 1960s sitar was the only one most prominent musical instrument which was exported from Indian music.

As making of this instrument has its tie knotted its root to village craft it is considered as one of the folk instrument. The making of this Indian sitar needs at least five craftsmen to build a single instrument. During olden days sitar was made of teak wood but now a days due to lack of teak wood rose wood or tun wood Cedrela Toona) is being used for making sitar. Its instrument. Whereas Vilayat Khan’s sitar