Vichitra Veena
(विचित्र वीणा)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 tuned to the raga.
£600 - £5,000
Student vichitra veenas from Indian workshops start around £600; mid-range instruments with better gourds and jawari work cost £1,200 to £2,500; concert instruments built to order cost £3,000 to £5,000 or more, by wood and gourd size. Ask us whether a listed length covers the beam or the whole instrument.
Explore the discipline
Meet the musical tradition, its practitioners and ways to learn.
History & Origins
What is the vichitra veena?
The vichitra veena is the fretless slide instrument of Hindustani classical music, played flat before the seated player, and ours suits the dedicated student of raga. With no frets, the slide reaches any pitch in one continuous glide, so meend, gamak and microtonal inflection run across the whole range. One glide can span an octave or a quarter-tone with the same accuracy. Its tone is close to a humming human voice.
What makes a great vichitra veena
A broad wooden beam, the dand, of tun or teak, rests on two large gourd resonators, the tumba, which add bass and sustain. Four main strings, chikari drones and 13 to 21 sympathetic strings run over a bone or deer-horn jawari bridge that sets the buzz. The left hand moves a polished glass or steel ball, the batta or kanta, along the main strings; the right strikes with two wire mizrab, as a sitar player does. Notes can sit up to two inches apart, so intonation is the central skill, and chikari strokes between phrases hold the raga's ground while the sympathetic strings ring on in overtones.
Tradition
A recital runs alap, jor and jhala, then a gat with tabla. Lalmani Misra, musicologist and performer at Banaras Hindu University, revived the instrument and built its repertoire and technique; students still learn from his 1960s and 1970s recordings, and his son Gopal Shankar Misra carried the line on.
No one knows when the vichitra veena first appeared. Until the early 20th century it was called the batta-been, after its slide, and Lalmani Misra described it as the modern form of the ancient ekatantri veena. In popular belief Abdul Aziz Khan, associated with Lahore and Patiala, invented it; Gopal Shankar Misra says this former sarangi player popularised it, taking khayal and thumri onto an instrument of dhrupad.
By the 20th century it had almost disappeared. Lalmani Misra (1924–1979) revived it, and it peaked from the 1950s to the 1970s. He joined Banaras Hindu University in 1958 and became Dean of its Faculty of Music in 1967. He recorded for All India Radio and built the Misrabani style on right-hand mizrab bols, with new ragas such as Madhukali. His son and student Gopal Shankar Misra (1957–1999) recorded Out of Stillness at Real World Studios in 1999.
Gopal Krishan (1926–2004) of Bhiwani, a Hindustani player, received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1994. Students of these lines still play and teach it, though it remains rare. It lies flat before the player, the gourds resting on the legs. The Carnatic gottuvadyam, revived by Sakha Rama Rao, is a separate slide instrument.
Construction & Craftsmanship
Construction Process
The vichitra veena rests on a broad, fretless beam, the dand, of seasoned tun or teak, 90–100 cm on concert instruments and 15–20 cm wide, narrower than a rudra veena since the beam passes vibration straight to the gourds. Two large dried gourds, the tumba, sit beneath it, one at each end, bound with lacquered thread; makers match them in size and wall so the bass stays even.
Stringing varies. Concert instruments carry four heavy steel or steel-wound main strings from a bone nut to the tailpiece, and two or three chikari drones set higher on the right. Their 13 to 21 sympathetic strings run in a lower plane over a second bridge or small pins. A bone or deer-horn jawari bridge, filed by the maker, sets the buzz.
The slide, the batta or kanta, is a polished glass, steel or smooth stone cylinder, 4–6 cm long and 2–3 cm across: glass sounds warmer, steel brighter. The mizrab is like a sitar's, sized for heavier strings. The player presses it lightly and evenly, at right angles to the string, since heavy pressure bends the note sharp, and keeps it clean and unscratched.
Maintenance & Care
- Gourds: Use a padded hard case with both gourds cushioned. Below 40% humidity, put an open water dish in the closed case; keep the gourds from heat, sun and sudden temperature change, or they can crack along the seam.
- Slide: Wipe the batta after use and keep it in a padded pouch. Replace a chipped or scratched slide, which buzzes and damages windings; hand polishing will not bring it back.
- Jawari: Never file the bridge yourself, since the smallest change alters the buzz; bring lost or harsh buzz to us, and wrap the bridge area for transport.
- Strings: Heavy main strings drift with temperature and humidity: let the instrument settle 10–15 minutes, then tune with a peg key before each session. Replace them as a set when kinked, corroded or dull, to keep the bridge balanced, and carry spare sympathetic strings, which break more often.
- Joints: Check gourd bindings and any beam-gourd gap yearly; movement or a gap costs bass and grows. Avoid extremes and hot cars, as wood and gourd move at different rates.
Technical Specifications
Detailed specifications for the Vichitra Veena
Physical dimensions
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Total instrument length | 90–100 cm |
| Soundboard width | 15–20 cm |
| Gourd diameter | 20–28 cm per gourd |
| Fret count | None (fretless slide instrument) |
| Weight | 2.5–4 kg |
Body & construction
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Soundboard material | Tun (Indian mahogany) or teak |
| Resonators | Two large dried gourds (tumba), one at each end |
| Bridge type | Bone or deer-horn jawari bridge |
| Nut | Bone nut at headstock |
| Finish | Lacquered gourd joints; polished or stained wood; ivory inlay on some older instruments |
String system
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Main playing strings | 4 (heavy-gauge steel or steel-wound); 6 in Lalmani Misra's arrangement |
| Drone strings (chikari) | 2–3 (up to 5 by some accounts) |
| Sympathetic strings (taraf) | 13–21 |
| Standard tuning (Hindustani) | Sa–Pa–Sa–Sa (tonic, fifth, tonic, tonic); Misra: Sa and Pa across three registers |
| Bridge | Jawari (bone or deer-horn) with sympathetic string channel |
Playing equipment
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Slide name | Batta (kanta) |
| Slide material | Polished glass or steel, 4–6 cm long, or a smooth stone |
| Plectrum name | Mizrab (two, sitar type) |
| Plectrum placement | Index and middle fingers of the right hand |
| Playing position | Instrument flat in front of the seated player, gourds supported |
Acoustic characteristics
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Tonal character | Warm glide with jawari buzz and sympathetic shimmer, likened to a humming voice |
| Sustain | Long (gourd resonance and sympathetic string response) |
| Optimal use | Hindustani alap, jor and gat; slow to medium-tempo raga unfolding |
| Dynamic range | Soft to moderate projection |
| Projection | Medium (concert room without amplification) |
Available Instruments
Browse our curated selection of Vichitra Veenas
Showing 1 instruments
Looking for Something Unique?
Contact us for custom-made instruments tailored to your specific requirements
Contact for Custom OrderYour Journey to Vichitra Veena Mastery
Follow this structured path from absolute beginner to accomplished performer
Lap position, batta and mizrab
KalaSudha's courses start beginners here, at Foundation. Sit with the vichitra veena flat in front of you, both gourds supported. Hold the batta in the left hand and press it on the main strings with even pressure at right angles, without bending the note sharp. Wear two mizrab on the right index and middle fingers and use the little finger for the chikari. Put a thin lubricant on the strings so the batta glides.
Intonation and fretless position memory
Meend and gamak
Alap structure and raga unfolding
Gat and tabla accompaniment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the vichitra veena of Hindustani music?
The 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.
How can a beginner, a child or a returning player start learning the vichitra veena, the fretless slide veena?
Start the vichitra veena with KalaSudha at Foundation level, online or in a workshop. Foundation sets the instrument flat in front of you and teaches the batta, the glass slide pressed on the strings by the left hand. We teach children as well as adults; ask us about a starting age and about a size for a younger learner.
Returning after a long break, you start again where you left off. Our courses run in levels, so your teacher reviews where you stand first.
Where can I buy a vichitra veena outside India, shipped safely, with strings and service after the sale?
You can buy a vichitra veena from KalaSudha outside India, by quote or made to order, and we deliver it worldwide. We pack each instrument for international shipping; ask us about cases and insurance.
Any vichitra veena can come to us for service or repair, in any country, wherever you bought it. We also supply strings and spare parts. For help with your instrument after the sale, use the chat on any page or email [email protected]. Ask us as well about gift vouchers and class sets for schools, or a flight case for travel.
How big is a vichitra veena?
The beam of a vichitra veena, the dand, is about 3 feet long and 6 inches wide, with a large gourd fixed beneath each end. Because the instrument is so large, note positions lie far apart on the string, up to about 2 inches between notes. Instruments described carry ivory inlay on the gourds and peacock-head carvings at the narrow ends.
How many strings does a vichitra veena have?
Accounts of the vichitra veena's strings differ. The most-repeated description gives four main playing strings, five chikari drone strings played open with the little finger, and 13 sympathetic strings tuned to the notes of the raga. Gopal Shankar Misra describes his father Lalmani Misra's arrangement as six main strings tuned to Sa and Pa across registers, with three chikari on the left and one or two on the right.
How is the vichitra veena played?
On the vichitra veena, the left hand moves a glass ball called the batta along the main strings to set the pitch. The right hand wears two mizrab plectra, like those used for sitar, on the index and middle fingers, and the little finger plays the open chikari drone strings. Players put oil or butter on the strings to reduce friction under the slide; sources differ on which.
Why is the vichitra veena considered hard to play?
The vichitra veena has no frets, so the slide must find each pitch on a bare beam. Because the instrument is large, note positions lie far apart, up to about 2 inches between notes. That wide spacing demands precise khatka, murki and taan.
Who invented the vichitra veena, and when?
The exact date of the vichitra veena's origin is unknown. Popular belief credits Abdul Aziz Khan with inventing it, but Gopal Shankar Misra rejects this and credits the former sarangi player with popularising it. Lalmani Misra described it as the modern form of the ancient ekatantri veena, and until the early 20th century it was known as the batta-been, after its slide.
Who revived the vichitra veena in the 20th century?
Lalmani Misra revived the vichitra veena after it had almost disappeared in the 20th century, and developed a style for it. He joined Banaras Hindu University in 1958 and became Dean of its Faculty of Music in 1967. His Misrabani style builds on right-hand mizrab bols, and he created ragas including Madhukali, Shyam Bihag and Jog Todi.
How do I book a vichitra veena player for a concert, an event or a recording session?
Ask KalaSudha to book a vichitra veena player for your concert, event or recording. In a recital, tabla joins the vichitra veena for the gat after the alap. Send your request through our page to book Indian classical musicians, and hear our artists in KalaSudha's recordings and concert videos.
Have more questions? Contact our support team and we'll be happy to help!
Ready to start learning Vichitra Veena?
Get personalized quotes and explore courses