Veena -

A South Indian Classical Music Instrument.

The Veena is one of the most important instruments which is exclusive to South India. The modern Veena has evolved from its ancient counterpart after several modifications and has been in use for the last three or four centuries.

Made of Jackwood, the Veena consists of a hollow resonator carved out of a single block of wood which continues as a long fretted neck to which is attached another smaller resonator. The neck curves backwards and at the end is a carved head of a mythological animanl. On the flat protion of the resonator, sits a brass plated bridge and through its grooves runs the four main strings. At the end of the main resonator is a string holder. Below the bridge, which sits on the resonator, are small metal rings which are attached on one side to the strings and on the other, by thick metal wires, to the string holder. Between the rings and the string holder are small metal coils used for finer tuning. Attached to the right side of the main bridge is a curved metal bridge over which pass the three "Tala" strings (these strings are used for keeping the drone and also indicate the rhythmic cycle). The three strings are attached to pegs on the side of the neck. The four main strings run along the length of the neck, pass over a grooved plate into four tuning pegs, two on either side of the neck. The neck is carved out and covered with a thin strip of wood. On both sides of the neck are ledges made of wax on which twenty-four metal frets are fixed.