---
url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-int/faq/instruments-artforms/what-are-tarab-and-chikari-strings'
title: 'What are tarab and chikari strings?'
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  name: rajeevk
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date: '2026-10-19T15:19:37+00:00'
updated: '2026-10-28T01:08:54+00:00'
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summary: 'On an Indian slide guitar, tarab strings ring in sympathy with notes of the raga; chikari strings are plucked for drone and rhythm.'
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  FAQ · Instruments & artforms

# What are tarab and chikari strings?

 Updated 28 October 2026

 On an **[Indian slide guitar](/instrument/indian-slide-guitar)**, tarab strings are sympathetic strings tuned to the notes of the raga. They ring when the matching note sounds on a played string, so players retune them when the raga changes. Chikari strings are plucked drone and rhythm strings; on traditional plucked raga instruments they sit on the side nearest the player and are struck with the thumb.



 

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 ###  Instruments (1) 

- [   Indian Slide Guitar The Indian slide guitar is a lap-held guitar played with a slide and tuned for raga. Brij Bhushan Kabra brought it into raga music, and sympathetic strings…     ](/en-int/instrument/indian-slide-guitar)
 
  

 

 

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