From the Persian seh = three, tar = strings: the name notwithstanding, most scholars point to the tri-tantri vina, a lute-like instrument mentioned by Sharangdev. Others refer to an origin traceable to Amir Khusro who allegedly reversed the strings of an instrument, thus creating the sitar! There is certainty on the present sitar emerging in the eighteenth century and the addition of three extra strings to the existing three.

The vina influenced the structure and additions - the metal frets, the bridge and the use of the mizrab to play the sitar.

Pandit Ravi Shankar's system of tuning

Structurally, the sitar consists of: a base (tumba) - a hemispherical, hollowed gourd that acts as resonating chamber; a stem (dand) - semi-rounded wooden structure with the upper surface functioning as the finger board, joined to the base by a shoulder (gulu); a second gourd for balance and to heighten resonance. The tuning pegs are situated at the front end of the instrument. Tunings may differ from player to player. One tuning is as follows. The main/first string is called the baj ka tar; the second and third are the joda (pair) tuned to shadja; next to these lie the laraj (tuned to Pancham or to Madhyam) and the kharaj (tuned to Madhyam or to Pancham); the two

chikari strings are last, known as badi (big) and chhoti (small); and also known as the papiha strings, tuned to Shadja and Tar Shadja. This is the system of Pandit Ravi Shankar's tuning (and that of the Maihar gharana' of which he is a member), and it offers the widest range. Ornamentation is an important part of sitar playing. The techniques and their placement are an individual as well as a characteristic feature. Different methods of execution result in different ornaments such as the kana, midh, gamak, khatka, murki kampan and andolan.

Some techniques: The gharsan and ghasit are similar techniques and entail sliding a finger down the string after plucking with the mizrab. This results in the lower notes flowing smoothly after the higher ones(i.e. a glissando).

The Krintan (i.e. pizzicato) - Once a note has been struck with the mizrab, the resonance is blocked by the middle finger and simultaneously the index finger is used to fret or block the next higher note. The middle finger is then used to lightly play the lower sound of the next note. This technique often involves more than one note after just one play by the mizrab.

The sparsh requires the blocking of the string with the left index finger before striking with mizrab. The middle finger then strikes a softer note on the same string.

The zamzama can be considered a merging of the first two. After striking a note with the mizrab, the fingers are used to hammer on the strings. This can be achieved with paired consecutive notes and is played out twice.

Compositions in sitar playing.

Compositions (gats) entered sitar-playing repertoires during the eighteenth century. The sitar player Masit Khan created compositions based on ragas and his style is known as the Masitkhani or Delhi baj. These were played in vilambit (slow tempo) tin-tăl (a rhythmic cycle of sixteen counts). However, he layered an asymmetrical count of 5-3-5-3 on the 4-4-4-4 count of the tin-tăl, and the aesthetic lilt has made this a still popular baj. Currently, of course, other tăls have been introduced and new compositions added.

Masit Khan's son Bahadur Khan introduced features of vina playing into the Masitkhani baj, but it was Bahadur Khan's son-in-law Rahimsen who developed the baj tremendously. He introduced the jod (the alap of dhrupad and khayal) into the sarod repertoire. Rahimsen was a descendant of Tansen and the founder of the Senia gharana.

The Ferozkhani gats are believed to be older than the Masitkhani and are performed in madhya laya (medium tempo). The melodies are to a marching tune, but have not really survived to the present day.

Compositions of the Razakhani baj were set in madhya and drut laya, in tin-tăl, with emphasis on rhythm and its manipulations. Created by Ghulam Raza, this baj is known also as the Purab baj. This style, too, is prevalent but with changes in compositions and tăl.

Of the sitar gharanas, the two most famous ones are - the *Imdadkhani gharana (of sitar-playing) and the *Maihar gharana (for sitar and sarod).

Sitar and Sarod gharanas

Classical Hindustani Instrumental Music : Rudra Vina, Sarod, Tabla, Tanpura, Bansuri, Santur, Sarangi

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