An Instrument That Changed the World
When Ravi Shankar played at Monterey Pop in 1967 — and later collaborated with George Harrison — the sitar didn't just cross borders, it redefined what Western audiences thought music could sound like. Yet the instrument Shankar played had already been evolving for centuries, carrying within its curved body a philosophy of sound as sophisticated as any tradition on earth.
The sitar remains one of the most complex and rewarding instruments to understand. Even as a listener, knowing how it is built and why it sounds the way it does transforms the act of hearing it.
Origins and History
The sitar's origins are somewhat debated, but most historians trace its development to the Mughal period in North India — roughly the 13th to 16th centuries. Its name likely derives from the Persian seh tar, meaning "three strings," though modern sitars have far more. The instrument evolved from earlier plucked lutes like the veena (its older South Indian cousin) and the Persian setar.
The classical sitar as we know it today is largely associated with the Ravi Shankar school (the Imdadkhani gharana style) and the Vilayat Khan style — two distinct schools that differ in stringing, technique, and sound philosophy.
Anatomy of the Sitar
The sitar is a masterpiece of acoustic engineering, and every component contributes to its distinctive voice:
- The gourd (tumba): The large resonating gourd at the base of the instrument is typically made from a dried pumpkin or gourd. It amplifies vibration and contributes warmth to the lower frequencies. Some sitars have a second, smaller gourd at the top of the neck.
- The neck and body: Usually made from tun wood (Indian cedar) or teak, the long neck is hollow and contributes significantly to resonance.
- Main playing strings: A sitar typically has 6–7 main strings. The most important is the first string (baj tar), which carries the melody.
- Sympathetic strings (taraf): Running beneath the main strings are 11–13 sympathetic strings, tuned to the notes of the raga being performed. These are never plucked — they vibrate in resonance with the played strings, creating the sitar's characteristic shimmering, halo-like sustain.
- The curved frets: Unlike guitar frets, sitar frets are curved and movable — tied to the neck with gut or nylon. This allows the musician to slide and bend notes in the way raga performance requires.
The Jawari: Controlled Buzzing as Art
One of the most distinctive elements of sitar sound is a quality called jawari — a deliberate, controlled buzz or haze that sits around the core of each note. This is achieved through the precise shaping of the bridge (kaddu), which has a slightly curved surface that allows the string to graze it during vibration.
Achieving perfect jawari is considered a craft in itself. Sitar makers and instrument repairers in India may spend years mastering bridge-shaping techniques. Too little jawari and the sound is thin; too much and it becomes harsh. When it is perfectly balanced, the tone has a living, breathing quality that no digital simulation has fully replicated.
How a Sitar Is Made
Traditional sitar-making is a craft passed down through workshops (often family-based) in cities like Kolkata, Varanasi, and Miraj. The process involves:
- Selecting and drying the gourd over several years
- Shaping and hollowing the neck and body from seasoned wood
- Attaching the gourd to the body using natural resins and wood joinery
- Installing and shaping the bridge for correct jawari
- Adding decorative inlay work (often with bone, shell, or celluloid)
- Stringing and tuning — a painstaking process that may be adjusted regularly
Listening for the Sitar's Voice
Next time you listen to sitar, focus on the moment a note is played and the way it blooms — that initial attack, the sustained shimmer of the sympathetic strings, and the way notes bend and slide into each other. What you're hearing is not just music, but the cumulative result of centuries of craft refinement, making the invisible world of resonance visible through sound.