List of Indian musical instruments

Woman playing pulluvan veena

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).

Bowed strings

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Tribal fiddle instruments called "Dhodro Banam" used by Santhal people in Eastern India.

Other string instruments

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Single reed

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Snake charmer playing pungi
Bansuri player at Mehrangarh Fort at Jodhpur.
Indian Harmonium

Double reed

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Flute

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Bagpipes

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Free reed

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Free reed and bellows

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Brass

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Hand drums

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Learning to play tabla
Tumbaknaer, drum from Jammu and Kashmir for accompanying devotionals
Chenda (top) and Chande (below) are different drums
Chande of Yakshagana

Hand frame drums

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  • 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

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Stick drums

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Chennakeshava Temple, 12th century A.D. Goddess playing an hourglass drum, possibly an udukai.

Idiophones

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A medieval instrument, labeled nagaveena (snake veena), is a type of musical scraper.

Melodic

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Jaltarang
  • Jal tarang, ceramic bowls with water
  • Kanch tarang, a type of glass harp
  • Loh tarang (लोह तरंग), a set of tuned gongs
  • Kashtha tarang, a type of xylophone

Hand harmonium

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Dwarkanath Ghose (Dwarkin) modified the French pedal harmonium.

Electronic

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See also

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References

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