--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical' title: 'Hindustani Classical: instruments of North India' author: name: Anonymous updated: '2026-10-31T16:33:50+00:00' type: website summary: 'Hindustani classical instrumental music is North Indian raga music on sitar, sarod, sarangi, bansuri and tabla. Recitals often open with an alap before a gat.' tags: - Instrumental 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 --- Tradition # Hindustani Classical Sitar, sarod, sarangi, bansuri or tabla: find the instrument you want to learn. Sub-disciplines 20 Hindustani classical instrumental music is North Indian raga music played on instruments such as sitar, sarod, sarangi, bansuri and tabla, each with its own technique. [ Explore Courses ](/en-in/courses?discipline=233) [ Show interest ](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/show-interest) [Sign in to follow](/en-in/user/login?flag_anon=follow_term-233&destination=/en-in/markdownify/taxonomy/term/233) [ Share ](/en-in/share/term/233) ## Overview **Hindustani classical instrumental music** is the raga music of North India played on instruments: plucked and bowed strings, flutes and drums. It is one of India's two major classical traditions, alongside Carnatic music, and shares two ideas with [Hindustani vocal music](/en-in/vocal/hindustani-classical): **raga**, a melodic framework of notes and phrases, and **tala**, a repeating cycle of beats. A common ensemble pairs a melodic soloist, such as a sitar or sarod player, with a drummer, most often on tabla, and a **tanpura** drone. On the [sitar](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/sitar), pulling the string sideways at a fret bends its pitch, a glide called **meend**. [Tabla](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/tabla) players learn **bols**, spoken syllables that name the drum strokes and carry compositions from teacher to student. The pages for sarod, sarangi, bansuri and the other instruments describe how each is played. Melodic players and percussionists both study tala and **laya** (tempo). Percussionists add compositions, solo playing and accompaniment. Many sitar and sarod performances open with an unmetred **alap**, gain a pulse in the jor and speed up in the jhala, where the player strikes the drone strings in rhythm. The tabla then joins for a composed gat. When choosing a course, ask whether it covers solo playing, accompaniment or both, and what experience it expects. Part of **Instrumental**: Indian classical instrumental music, or vadya, spans strings, wind, and percussion across the Carnatic and Hindustani traditions, each instrument shaped to carry raga and tala. [### Sitar The sitar is a plucked, fretted, long-necked lute of Hindustani classical music, with movable frets, sympathetic strings and a gourd body, played with a wire mizrab. Explore ](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/sitar) [### Sitar The sitar is a plucked, fretted, long-necked lute of Hindustani classical music, with movable frets, sympathetic strings and a gourd body, played with a wire mizrab. Explore ](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/sitar) [### Sitar The sitar is a plucked, fretted, long-necked lute of Hindustani classical music, with movable frets, sympathetic strings and a gourd body, played with a wire mizrab. Explore ](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/sitar) [### Sitar The sitar is a plucked, fretted, long-necked lute of Hindustani classical music, with movable frets, sympathetic strings and a gourd body, played with a wire mizrab. Explore ](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/sitar) [### Surbahar The surbahar, or bass sitar, is a large, low-pitched plucked instrument of Hindustani music. Study it through slow alap, long sustained notes and meend. Explore ](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/surbahar) [### Surbahar The surbahar, or bass sitar, is a large, low-pitched plucked instrument of Hindustani music. Study it through slow alap, long sustained notes and meend. Explore ](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/surbahar) ## Upcoming Events Performances and concerts featuring this discipline [ ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse) ### [A Hundred Strings in Oxford: Two Strings, One Pulse](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse) Adnan Khan · Vinay Desai · Akram Khan **Holywell Music Room** WED, NOV 18 7:00 PM [ Book Tickets](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse/book) [ ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse) ### [A Hundred Strings in Oxford: Two Strings, One Pulse](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse) Adnan Khan · Vinay Desai · Akram Khan **Holywell Music Room** WED, NOV 18 7:00 PM [ Book Tickets](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse/book) [ ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse) ### [A Hundred Strings in Oxford: Two Strings, One Pulse](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse) Adnan Khan · Vinay Desai · Akram Khan **Holywell Music Room** WED, NOV 18 7:00 PM [ Book Tickets](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse/book) [ ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi) ### [A Hundred Strings in Manchester: Strings of Kashmir and Delhi](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi) Adnan Khan · Vinay Desai · Akram Khan · Shahbaz Hussain **The Stoller Hall** FRI, NOV 20 7:00 PM [ Book Tickets](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi/book) [ ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi) ### [A Hundred Strings in Manchester: Strings of Kashmir and Delhi](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi) Adnan Khan · Vinay Desai · Akram Khan · Shahbaz Hussain **The Stoller Hall** FRI, NOV 20 7:00 PM [ Book Tickets](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi/book) [ ](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi) ### [A Hundred Strings in Manchester: Strings of Kashmir and Delhi](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi) Adnan Khan · Vinay Desai · Akram Khan · Shahbaz Hussain **The Stoller Hall** FRI, NOV 20 7:00 PM [ Book Tickets](/en-in/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi/book) ## Media Gallery Audio and video performances [ Live Performance 4:38 ### Meditative State \| Dhun \| Raag Charukeshi \| Pt. Debasis Chakroborty 5 months ago ](/en-in/video/meditative-state-dhun-raag-charukeshi-pt-debasis-chakroborty) [ Live Performance 05:20 ### Raag Miyan ki Malhar \| Jhaptaal \| Slide Guitar & Tabla \| Debasis Chakroborty, Akram Khan \| KalaSudha 6 months ago ](/en-in/video/raag-miyan-ki-malhar-jhaptaal-slide-guitar-tabla-debasis-chakroborty-akram-khan-kalasudha) [ Live Performance 08:08 ### Awakening \| Raag Bhairavi \| Pt. Debasis Chakroborty \| Slide Guitar Live at Hoxton \| KalaSudha 6 months ago ](/en-in/video/awakening-raag-bhairavi-pt-debasis-chakroborty-slide-guitar-live-at-hoxton-kalasudha) [ Live Performance 5:10 ### Raag Bhairav \| Rekesh Chauhan & Shahbaz Hussain \| Live \| The Duke’s Hall 7 months ago ](/en-in/video/raag-bhairav-rekesh-chauhan-shahbaz-hussain-live-the-dukes-hall) [ Live Performance 9:20 ### Mountain Dhun by Ajay Prasanna \| Live \| Raga Unison at Edinburgh 7 months ago ](/en-in/video/mountain-dhun-by-ajay-prasanna-live-raga-unison-at-edinburgh) [ Live Performance 13:46 ### Raag Madhuvanti Alaap \| Debasis Chakroborty & Giuliano Modarelli 7 months ago ](/en-in/video/raag-madhuvanti-alaap-debasis-chakroborty-giuliano-modarelli) ## Frequently Asked Questions Where can I learn a Hindustani classical instrument online with a live teacher? You can learn a [Hindustani classical instrument](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical) online with KalaSudha, live and one-to-one with a vetted teacher. This North Indian music plays ragas, melodic frameworks of notes and phrases, on plucked and bowed strings, flutes and drums, such as the [sitar](/en-in/instrumental/hindustani-classical/sitar) and tabla. Each instrument has its own technique. On the sitar, pulling the string sideways at a fret bends its pitch in a glide called **meend**; tabla players learn **bols**, spoken syllables for the strokes. Every beginner, on any instrument, starts at Foundation in our [courses](/en-in/courses), with workshops and summer camps where enough learners sign up. Have more questions? Contact our support team and we'll be happy to help! Stay close ## Keep KalaSudha close. 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