List of Indian musical instruments explained

Musical instruments of the Indian subcontinent can be broadly classified according to the Hornbostel–Sachs system into four categories: chordophones (string instruments), aerophones (wind instruments), membranophones (drums) and idiophones (non-drum percussion instruments).

Chordophones

Plucked strings

Arched harp Bulbul Tarang Dotar, Dotora, or Dotara Dhrupad Ektara Getchu Vadyam or Jhallari Gopichand or Gopiyantra or Khamak Gottuvadhyam or Chitravina Katho Sarod Sitar Surbahar Surshringar Swarabat Swarmandal Tambura Tritantri Veena

Tumbi Tuntuna zesty Hansa Veena Mohan Veena Nakula Veena Nanduni Pamiri rubab Rudra Veena, also called Bīn in North India Sagar Veena Saraswati Veena Vichitra Veena Yazh Ranjan Veena Mayuri Veena Rubab (instrument) Triveni Veena

Bowed strings

• • Chikara Dhantara
• Dilruba
• Ektara violin
  • Esraj Kamaicha
    • Kingri (string instrument) Mayuri Vina or Taus Onavillu
• Behala (violin type)
• Pena (musical instrument)
• Pinaka vina
• Pulluvan Veena - one stringed violin
• Ravanahatha
  • • • Sarangi Classical Sarangi Sarinda Tar Shehnai
• Taus
• Villu Paatu - arched bow instrument

Other string instruments

• Gethu or Jhallari – struck tanpura
• Gubguba or Jamuku (khamak)
• Pulluvan kutam
• Santoor – Hammered dulcimer

Aerophones

Single reed

• Pepa
• Pungi or Been

Double reed

• Kuzhal
  • Mukhavina Nadaswaram
• Shehnai
• Sundari
• Tangmuri

Flute

• Alghoza – double flute
• Bansuri
• Venu (Carnatic flute) Pullanguzhal

Bagpipes

• Mashak
• Titti
• Sruti upanga

Free reed

• • Gogona Morsing

Free reed and bellows

• Shruti box
• Harmonium (hand-pumped)

Brass

• Bigul – see Bugle
• Ekkalam
• Karnal
• Kombu (instrument)
• Ramsinga
• Kahal
• Nagfani
• Turi
• Tutari

Membranophones

Hand drums

Dhad Damru Dimadi Dhol Dholak Dholki Duggi Ghat singhari or Gada Singari Ghumot Gummeta Kanjira Khol Kinpar and Dhopar (Tribal Drums) Madal Mardala Maddale Maram Mizhavu Mridangam Naal

Pakhavaj Pakhavaj Jori – Sikh instrument similar to Tabla Panchamukha vadyam Pung cholom Shuddha Madalam or Maddalam Tabala / Tabl / Chameli – goblet drum Tabla Tabla Tarang – set of Tablas Tamate Thanthi Panai Thimila Tumbak, Tumbaknari, Tumbaknaer Tumdak' Udukku

Hand frame drums

• Daf, duf, or dafli – medium or large frame drum without jingles, of Persian origin
• Dubki, dimdi or dimri – small frame drum without jingles
• Kanjira – small frame drum with one jingle
• Kansi – small drum without jingles
• Patayani thappu – medium frame drum played with hands

Stick and hand drums

• Chenda
• Davul
• Dhak
• Dhimay
• Dhol
• Dholi
• Dollu
• Idakka
• Thavil
• Udukai
• Urumi (drum)

Stick drums

• Chande
• Davul
• Kachhi Dhol
• Nagara – pair of kettledrums
• Pambai – unit of two cylindrical drums
• Parai thappu, halgi – frame drum played with two sticks
• Sambal
• Stick daff or stick duff – daff in a stand played with sticks
• Tamak'
• Tasha – type of kettledrum
• Timki
• Urumee

Idiophones

• Chigggjha – fire tong with brass jingles
• Chengila – metal disc
• Eltathalam
• Gegvrer – brass vessel
• Ghaynti – Northern Indian bell
• Ghatam and Matkam (Earthenware pot drum)
• Ghunyugroo
• Khartal or Chiplya
• Manjira or jhanj or taal
• Nut – clay pot
• Sankarpjlnjang – lithophone
• Thali – metal plate
• Thattukanvjzhi mannai
• Yakshahgana bells

Melodic

• Jal tarang, ceramic bowls with water
• Kanch tarang, a type of glass harp
• Kashtha tarang, a type of xylophone

Hand harmonium

Dwarkanath Ghose (Dwarkin) modified the French pedal harmonium.

Electronic

• • Roland HandSonic Electronic tanpura
• Electronic (digital) tabla
• Talameter

See also

• Music of India
• List of Indian dances