---
url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-gb/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-vichitra-veena'
title: 'What is a vichitra veena?'
author:
  name: rajeevk
  url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-gb/user/fce96177fd193d3a'
date: '2026-10-19T15:03:53+00:00'
updated: '2026-10-19T22:09:44+00:00'
type: website
summary: 'The vichitra veena is a fretless Hindustani slide instrument: a broad beam with two gourds, played with a glass ball called the batta.'
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 FAQ · Instruments & artforms

# What is a vichitra veena?

 Updated 19 October 2026

 

The **[vichitra veena](/en-gb/instrument/vichitra-veena)** is a fretless slide instrument of Hindustani music: a broad horizontal beam, the dand, about 3 feet long and 6 inches wide. A large resonating gourd is fixed beneath each end. The player sets the pitch by moving a glass ball, the batta, along the main strings and strikes them with two mizrab plectra. It traditionally accompanied or followed dhrupad singing.



 

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- [   Vichitra Veena The vichitra veena is a fretless slide instrument of Hindustani music, played with a glass ball on four main strings over two gourds, with sympathetic strings…     ](/en-gb/instrument/vichitra-veena)
 
  

 

 

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