Sitar

The sitar is a plucked stringed instrument used mainly in Hindustani music and Indian classical music. The instrument is believed to have been derived from the veena, an ancient Indian instrument, which was modified by a Mughal court musician to conform with the tastes of his Persian patrons and named after a Persian instrument called the Setar (meaning three strings). The sitar flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries and arrived at its present form in 18th century India. It derives its distinctive timbre and resonance from sympathetic strings, bridge design, a long hollow neck and a gourd resonating chamber.In appearance, the Sitar is similar to the Tanpura, except it has frets. The body of Sitar is more or less a spherical gourd at the lower end.
Used widely throughout the Indian subcontinent, the sitar became popularly known in the wider world through the work of Ravi Shankar beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The sitar saw further use in popular music after the Beatles featured the sitar in their compositions "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)", "Within You Without You", "Tomorrow Never Knows" and "Love You To". Their use of the instrument came as a result of George Harrison's taking lessons on how to play it from Shankar and Shambhu Das. Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones also used a sitar in "Paint It Black" and a brief fad began for using the instrument in pop songs.