List of Indian musical instruments



Musical instruments of the Indian subcontinent can be broadly classified according to the Hornbostel–Sachs system into four categories: chordophones (string instruments), aerophones (wind instruments), membranophones (drums) and idiophones (non-drum percussion instruments).

Bowed strings

 * Chikara
 * Dhantara
 * Dilruba
 * Ektara violin
 * Esraj
 * Kamaicha
 * Kingri (string instrument)
 * Mayuri Vina or Taus
 * Onavillu
 * Behala (violin type)
 * Pena (musical instrument)
 * Pinaka vina
 * Pulluvan Veena - one stringed violin
 * Ravanahatha
 * Sarangi
 * Classical Sarangi
 * Sarinda
 * Tar Shehnai
 * Taus
 * Villu Paatu - arched bow instrument

Other string instruments

 * Gethu or Jhallari – struck tanpura
 * Gubguba or Jamuku (khamak)
 * Pulluvan kutam
 * Santoor – Hammered dulcimer

Single reed

 * Pepa
 * Pungi or Been

Double reed

 * Kuzhal
 * Mukhavina
 * Nadaswaram
 * Shehnai
 * Sundari
 * Tangmuri

Flute

 * Alghoza – double flute
 * Bansuri
 * Venu (Carnatic flute) Pullanguzhal

Bagpipes

 * Mashak
 * Titti
 * Sruti upanga

Free reed

 * Gogona
 * Morsing

Free reed and bellows

 * Shruti box
 * Harmonium (hand-pumped)

Brass

 * Bigul – see Bugle
 * Ekkalam
 * Karnal
 * Kombu (instrument)
 * Ramsinga
 * Kahal
 * Nagfani
 * Turi
 * Tutari

Hand frame drums

 * Daf, duf, or dafli – medium or large frame drum without jingles, of Persian origin
 * Dubki, dimdi or dimri – small frame drum without jingles
 * Kanjira – small frame drum with one jingle
 * Kansi – small drum without jingles
 * Patayani thappu – medium frame drum played with hands

Stick and hand drums

 * Chenda
 * Davul
 * Dhak
 * Dhimay
 * Dhol
 * Dholi
 * Dollu
 * Idakka
 * Thavil
 * Udukai
 * Urumi (drum)

Stick drums

 * Chande
 * Davul
 * Kachhi Dhol
 * Nagara – pair of kettledrums
 * Pambai – unit of two cylindrical drums
 * Parai thappu, halgi – frame drum played with two sticks
 * Sambal
 * Stick daff or stick duff – daff in a stand played with sticks
 * Tamak'
 * Tasha – type of kettledrum
 * Timki
 * Urumee

Idiophones

 * Chigggjha – fire tong with brass jingles
 * Chengila – metal disc
 * Eltathalam
 * Gegvrer – brass vessel
 * Ghaynti – Northern Indian bell
 * Ghatam and Matkam (Earthenware pot drum)
 * Ghunyugroo
 * Khartal or Chiplya
 * Manjira or jhanj or taal
 * Nut – clay pot
 * Sankarpjlnjang – lithophone
 * Thali – metal plate
 * Thattukanvjzhi mannai
 * Yakshahgana bells

Melodic

 * Jal tarang, ceramic bowls with water
 * Kanch tarang, a type of glass harp
 * Kashtha tarang, a type of xylophone

Hand harmonium
Dwarkanath Ghose (Dwarkin) modified the French pedal harmonium.

Electronic

 * Roland HandSonic
 * Electronic tanpura
 * Electronic (digital) tabla
 * Talameter