--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-in/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-the-difference-between-the-sitar-and-the-santoor' title: 'What is the difference between the sitar and the santoor?' author: name: rajeevk url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-in/user/fce96177fd193d3a' date: '2026-10-18T21:04:27+00:00' type: website summary: 'The sitar is plucked and slides between notes; the santoor is struck with light wooden mallets, cannot slide, and moves in runs while each note rings on.' 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 --- FAQ · Instruments & artforms # What is the difference between the sitar and the santoor? Updated 18 October 2026 The **sitar** is plucked and slides between notes. The **santoor** is struck and cannot slide, so it moves in runs and repeated strokes. The sitar is a long-necked lute with a gourd body, movable curved frets and sympathetic strings beneath the playing strings. The santoor is the hundred-stringed instrument of Kashmir: a flat wooden box strung with metal strings, struck with a pair of light wooden mallets. On the sitar you hear a phrase held and bent, the way a singer does. On the santoor each note rings on after the hand has moved. See [what is a sitar](/en-in/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-sitar) and [what is a santoor](/en-in/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-santoor). Was this answer helpful? [ ](/en-in/user/login?flag_anon=faq_helpful-664&destination=/en-in/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-the-difference-between-the-sitar-and-the-santoor) [ ](/en-in/user/login?flag_anon=faq_not_helpful-664&destination=/en-in/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-the-difference-between-the-sitar-and-the-santoor) Thanks for your feedback! ## Related pages 7 pages mention this question ### Artists (2) - [ Vinay Desai Vinay Desai plays the santoor, the hundred-stringed instrument of Kashmir, as a disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. Hear him live in the UK. ](/en-in/artist/vinay-desai) - [ 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-in/artist/adnan-khan) ### Events (4) - [ A Hundred Strings in Bournemouth: Ragas by the Sea Indian classical music at the Palace Court Theatre, Bournemouth: Adnan Khan on sitar, Vinay Desai on santoor, Ustad Akram Khan on tabla. Sat 21 Nov, 6:30 PM. ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-bournemouth-ragas-by-the-sea) - [ A Hundred Strings in London: Plucked and Struck Grammy-nominated sitarist Adnan Khan, Vinay Desai on santoor and Ustad Akram Khan on tabla at St Saviour's, Pimlico, on 22 November 2026. Part of A Hundred… ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-london-plucked-and-struck) - [ A Hundred Strings in Manchester: Strings of Kashmir and Delhi Grammy-nominated sitarist Adnan Khan, Vinay Desai on santoor, Ustad Akram Khan and Manchester's Ustad Shahbaz Hussain on tabla. Fri 20 Nov, 7 PM, The Stoller… ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi) - [ A Hundred Strings in Oxford: Two Strings, One Pulse Grammy-nominated sitarist Adnan Khan, Vinay Desai on santoor and Ustad Akram Khan on tabla at the Holywell Music Room, part of our November tour A Hundred… ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse) ### Instruments (1) - [ Santoor The santoor is a Kashmiri hammered dulcimer of about 100 strings on 25 bridges. Shivkumar Sharma and Bhajan Sopori took it from Sufiana Mausiqi to the… ](/en-in/instrument/santoor) [ Previous question What is the difference between the pakhawaj and the tabla? ](/en-in/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-the-difference-between-the-pakhawaj-and-the-tabla) [ Next question What is the difference between the taus and the dilruba? ](/en-in/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-the-difference-between-the-taus-and-the-dilruba)