Instruments of the World : The Rudra Veena

 Giant Gourd Resonators, the Rudra Veena

"The Rudra Veena is an ancient Indian tubular zither, its voice carried through two large calabash resonators that amplify every pluck into warm, meditative tones. In the hands of Ustad Asad Ali Khan, each note is a gateway: slow, resonant, and deeply expressive.

The fretted metal tube supports four main playing strings and three drone strings, all raised on bridges that vibrate the resonators below. Played while seated, the veena demands precise finger placement and breath-synchronized rhythm—every string stroke echoes like a whispered mantra resonating in a temple.

With Ustad Asad Ali Khan — a maestro whose lineage stretches back through centuries — the Rudra Veena becomes more than an instrument. It becomes a vessel of tradition, sound carried across time by wood, gourd, and the deft touch of a master."

Rare And Strange Instruments