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'{{other uses}} {{refimprove|date=March 2013}} {{Unreferenced|section|date=December 2014}} {{Infobox Instrument |name= |image= Veena.png |image_capt=Saraswati Veena |background=string |classification= *[[String instruments]] |related= **[[Pandura]] **[[Surbahar]] **[[Rudra veena]] **[[Saraswati veena]] **[[Chitra veena]] **[[Vichitra veena]] **[[Sarod]] **[[Sitar]] **[[Sursingar]] **[[Tambouras]] **[[Tanpura|Tambura]] **[[Kantele]] }} The '''Veena''' ({{lang-sa|वीणा}}, {{lang-ur|{{Nastaliq|وینا}}}}, {{lang-kn|ವೀಣೆ}}, {{lang-bn|বীণা}}, {{lang-ta|வீணை}}, {{lang-ml|വീണ}}, {{lang-te|వీణ}}) is a [[plucked stringed instrument]] originating in ancient India, used mainly in [[Indian classical music]] and [[Pakistani classical music]]. The name is used for several instruments belonging to different families, mainly the [[Rudra veena]] (a [[Zither#Terminology|zither]]) and the [[Saraswati veena]] (a [[necked bowl lute]]) but also to other types of plucked string instruments ([[Mohan veena]], [[Ancient veena]] etc). The [[Ancient veena|earliest veenaa]] was an instrument of the harp type whose type survives in the [[Saung|Burmese harp]] , whereas in the last centuries and nowadays, the word has tended to be applied to instruments of the lute type or even, recently, to certain kinds of guitars developed in India. The more popular [[sitar]] is believed to have been derived from a type of veena which was modified by a [[Mughal Empire|Mughal court]] musician to conform with the tastes of his [[Iran|Persian]] patrons. A person who plays a veena is called a ''vainika''. ==Etymology and history== The [[Sanskrit]] word veena (वीणा) (often written ''veena'' and sometimes ''vina'') which is attested already in the [[Rigveda]] (ऋग्वेद:) has designated in the course of Indian history a variety of instruments of various types, as it is a generic term for all kinds of string instruments, just as the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] word ''[[Yazh|yaaḻ]]'' (யாழ்) (often written ''yaazh'' or ''yaal''). In the last centuries and today the instruments designated under the designation veena of which there are several kinds, have tended to be mostly instruments of the lute or cithar type, and recently the word was even applied to modified Western guitars. But the early veenaas could be plucked string instruments of any type. Found in the list of Musical instruments used by [[Tamil people]] out in [[Tirumurai]]<ref>[http://www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/isaikkaruvi/mis-thi-isai-karuvi-veenai.htm Veenai - Ancient music instruments mentioned in thirumurai - வீணை - திருமுறை காட்டும் இசைக்கருவிகள்<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.tamilkalanjiyam.com/literatures/panniru_thirumurai/thevaaram/thevaaram_1_65.html காவிரிப்பூம்பட்டினத்துப்பல்லவனீச்சரம் - முதல் திருமுறை - தேவாரப் பதிகங்கள் - Panniru Thirumurai - பன்னிரு திருமுறை - Shaiva Literature's - சைவ இலக்கியங்கள்<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> dated 6th to 11th century ===The early Gupta veena: depiction and playing technique=== One of early veenas used in India from early times, until the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] period and later (this is probably the instrument referred to as ''[[ancient veena|veena]]'' in a chapter of the [[Natya Shastra|Nāṭyaśāstra]] (नाट्यशास्त्र:) dealing with instrumental music) was an instrument of the type of the [[harp]] and more precisely of the [[List of musical instruments by Hornbostel-Sachs number: 322.11|arched harp]]. It was played with the strings being kept parallel to the body of the player, with both hands plucking the strings, as shown on [[Samudragupta]]'s gold coins.<ref>[http://coinindia.com/galleries-samudragupta.html Catalog] and description of the gold coins minted during Samudragupta's reign on the ''Coin India'' site (Web page)</ref><ref>The right hand plucks the strings on the side of the instrument which is closer to the body while the left hand plucks the strings on the other side of the instrument. This is precisely the reverse of the way the [[saung]] is held. It is also possible the king was playing left handed or that it is the representation on the coin which presents an inverted (mirror-like) view</ref> It is not possible to tell exactly the number of strings of the instrument on the coin, but descriptions in early literary sources of an ancient instrument called the''saptatantree veena'' (7-string veena) seem to coincide generally with the type of instrument represented on the coin. ==Classification== Veena can be broadly classified into several different types ===With frets=== *[[Rudra veena]], plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music *[[Saraswati veena]], plucked string instrument used in Carnatic music ===Fretless=== *[[Vichitra veena]], plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music *Chitra veena or [[gottuvadhyam]], plucked string instrument used in Carnatic music ===Guitar=== *[[Mohan veena]], slide guitar ===Other=== *[[Yazh|Yazh, or Shatatantri veena]], ancient Indian form of Santoor *[[Saptatantri veena]] ==See also== {{Portal|Indian classical music}} *[[Pandura]] *[[Surbahar]] *[[Rudra veena]] *[[Saraswati veena]] *[[Chitra veena]] *[[Vichitra veena]] *[[Sarod]] *[[Sitar]] *[[Sursingar]] *[[Tambouras]] *[[Tanpura|Tambura]] ==Notes== {{Reflist}} {{Indian musical instruments}} {{commons category|Veenas}} [[Category:Chordophones]] [[Category:String instruments]] [[Category:Indian musical instruments]]'