--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-sitar' title: 'What is a sitar?' author: name: rajeevk url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-gb/user/0f961cccc99524ed' date: '2026-09-04T15:21:31+00:00' updated: '2026-10-16T23:20:28+00:00' type: website summary: 'A sitar is a long-necked lute with curved frets and sympathetic strings, built for bending one note into another.' tags: - 'Instruments & artforms' image: 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:secure_url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:type': image/svg+xml 'image:alt': KalaSudha --- [ Help ](/en-gb/help) What is a sitar? 1. [ Home ](/en-gb) 2. 3. [ Help ](/en-gb/help) 4. 5. Instruments & artforms 6. 7. What is a sitar? FAQ · Instruments & artforms # What is a sitar? Updated 17 October 2026 A [**sitar**](/instrument/sitar) is a long-necked lute with a gourd body, movable curved frets, and a set of sympathetic strings running beneath the playing strings. The curved frets let a player pull a string sideways and bend one note into another. Players call that bend the meend, and the sympathetic strings keep ringing behind it. Read about the [tabla](/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-tabla) and the [santoor](/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-santoor). Was this answer helpful? [ ](/en-gb/user/login?flag_anon=faq_helpful-432&destination=/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-sitar) [ ](/en-gb/user/login?flag_anon=faq_not_helpful-432&destination=/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-sitar) Thanks for your feedback! ## Related pages 9 pages mention this question ### Artists (6) - [ Adnan Khan Grammy-nominated sitarist Adnan Khan plays in the gayaki ang, the voice-led style of Delhi. Trained by Ustad Zafar Ahmed Khan and Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan. Hear… ](/en-gb/artist/adnan-khan) - [ Shakir Khan Son of Padma Shri Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, Shakir Khan is the eighth generation of the Etawah Gharana, performing at India's premier festivals and… ](/en-gb/artist/shakir-khan) - [ Debaditya Chakraborty Sitarist of the Senia-Maihar tradition, Debaditya Chakraborty blends gayaki and tantrakari with depth and clarity. He performed at KalaSudha’s Purvi Festival… ](/en-gb/artist/debaditya-chakraborty) - [ Jonathan Mayer Jonathan Mayer began playing music at the age of five, learning the violin from his grandfather, Albert Hepton, piano from James Methuen-Campbell, and… ](/en-gb/artist/jonathan-mayer) - [ Tommy Khosla Tommy Khosla is a sitarist and composer who blends sounds from Latin jazz, hip-hop and electronic music into his playing. He is the founder of Jawari band and… ](/en-gb/artist/tommy-khosla) - [ Dr Lovely Sharma Dr Lovely Sharma plays sitar at Dayalbagh Educational Institute, UP. First woman sitarist with a D.Litt., Kala Bhushan awardee, former Vice-Chancellor of Raja… ](/en-gb/artist/dr-lovely-sharma) Show all 6 artists ### Events (2) - [ Sitar Workshop in London with Maestro Shakir Khan Two-day in-person sitar workshop with maestro Shakir Khan in London, open to all levels and instruments, with flexible session options. ](/en-gb/event/sitar-workshop-in-london-with-maestro-shakir-khan) - [ London Ragas: Shakir Khan & Shahbaz Hussain Shakir Khan, the most talented young Sitar player, along with Tabla virtuoso Shahbaz Hussain, from Manchester, at the London Ragas Darbar. ](/en-gb/event/london-ragas-shakir-khan-shahbaz-hussain) ### Instruments (1) - [ Sitar A concert sitar hand-built from seasoned toon and Miraj gourds, with 18 to 21 strings, movable frets for microtonal bends and a hand-voiced jawari, serviced… ](/en-gb/instrument/sitar) [ Previous question What is a sitar made of? ](/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-sitar-made-of) [ Next question What is a soundpost, and why is it not glued? ](/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-soundpost-and-why-is-it-not-glued)