---
url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-in/faq/instruments-artforms/how-do-you-hold-and-play-the-veena'
title: 'How do you hold and play the veena?'
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  name: rajeevk
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date: '2026-10-19T15:09:35+00:00'
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summary: 'A veena player sits cross-legged with the instrument across the lap, plucking with the right hand and stopping and deflecting strings with the left.'
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 FAQ · Instruments & artforms

# How do you hold and play the veena?

 Updated 19 October 2026

 

A **[Saraswati veena](/instrument/veena)** player sits cross-legged, with the small upper resonator on the left thigh and the main resonator on the floor beyond the right thigh. The right index and middle fingers pluck the main strings, and the little finger strikes the drone strings. The left hand stops the strings on the frets and pushes them sideways to raise the pitch, creating slides and gamaka.



 

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## Related pages

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- [   Veena The Saraswati veena is the plucked lute of Carnatic music: a jackwood body, 24 fixed brass frets in wax and gamaka technique define its sound, for solo and…     ](/en-in/instrument/veena)
 
  

 

 

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