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Which stringed instruments are used in Hindustani classical music?

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Koto — stringed instrument A Japanese musician plucking the strings of a koto with the right hand to generate a pitch and pressing the strings with the left hand to alter the tone.

Hindustani classical music features several prominent stringed instruments, which are central to both solo performances and melodic accompaniment. The most notable include:

Sitar: A long-necked, fretted lute that is one of the most popular and dominant instruments in the tradition. It typically features a combination of melodic, drone, and sympathetic strings.12
Sarod: A short-necked, unfretted lute known for its metal-covered fingerboard, which allows for characteristic sliding pitches.32
Tambura: A large, long-necked lute used primarily to provide the essential supporting drone throughout a performance.24
Sarangi: A short-necked, bowed fiddle often used as a melody instrument, particularly to accompany vocal music.24
Veena: Specifically the North Indian bin, a stick zither that was once the dominant stringed instrument in the 18th century but has since become nearly obsolete.5
Other Instruments: The surbahar (a larger version of the sitar), the violin, and the surmandal (a plucked board zither) are also utilized within the Hindustani tradition.4