In ancient times, the tone vibrating from the hunter's bow string when he shot an arrow was known as the Vil Yazh.

The word veena in India was a term originally used to generally denote "stringed instrument", and included many variations that would be either plucked, bowed or struck for sound.

Veenas ranged from one string to one hundred and were composed of many different materials like eagle bone, bamboo, wood, and coconut shells.

It was not until the great Indian Carnatic music composer and Saraswati veena player Muthuswami Dikshitar that it began to be popularized as played horizontally.

It is said Govinda Dikshita father of Venkatamukhin, who was a musician and a minister in the court of Raghunatha Nayaka designed it.

About four feet in length, its design consists of a large resonator (kudam) carved and hollowed out of a log (usually of jackfruit wood), a tapering hollow neck (dandi) topped with 24 brass or bell-metal frets set in scalloped black wax on wooden tracks, and a tuning box culminating in a downward curve and an ornamental dragon's head (yali).

A small table-like wooden bridge (kudurai)—about 2 x 2½ x 2 inches—is topped by a convex brass plate glued in place with resin.

Three subsidiary drone strings tuned to the tonic, fifth, and upper tonic (E flat - B flat- E flat in the tuning given above) cross a curving side bridge leaning against the main bridge, and stretch on the player's side of the neck to three pegs matching those of the main playing strings.

The palm of the right hand rests on the edge of the top plank so that the fingers (usually index and middle) can pluck the strings.

Like the sitar, the left hand technique involves playing on the frets, controlled pushing on the strings to achieve higher tones and glissandi through increased tension, and finger flicks, all reflecting the characteristics of various ragas and their ornamentation (gamaka).

Modern innovations include one or two circular sound holes (like that of the lute), substitution of machine heads for wooden pegs for easier tuning, and the widespread use of transducers for amplification in performance.

Scholars hold that as Saraswati is the goddess of learning, the most evolved string instrument in a given age was placed in her hands by contemporary artistes.

[6] The Ramayana, the Puranas and Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra all contain references to the veena, as well as the Sutra and the Aranyaka.

Examples include "veena venu mridanga vAdhya rasikAm" in Meenakshi Pancharathnam, "mAsil veeNaiyum mAlai madhiyamum" Thevaram by Appar.

[10] Each physical portion of the veena is said to be the seat in which subtle aspects of various gods and goddesses reside in Hinduism.

Modern life-style is no longer limited to definite routine within a small locality, thus along with performers and teachers of Veena, the community of craftsmen is also on decline.

[14] Attempts to start institutions of instrument-making have been made, but there is a strong need for conservatories which focus on all aspects of Veena.

(1971)The main characteristics of the electronic veena: Enhanced volume, with the amplifier and speaker built into one of the gourds; Built-in electronic tambura for sruti in the other removable gourd; Matched pick-up and amplispeaker to enable authentic sweet veena sound; Adjustable independent volume control for main and taala strings; Adjustable frets on a wooden fret board, eliminating the more delicate wax fret board, frets can be adjusted easily by the user; Guitar-type keys for easy and accurate tuning; Complete portability, as the sound box of the veena is dispensed with, and replaced by a plank of wood.

Easy assembly / disassembly; Usage on battery in case of AC Mains power failure.

e.g., Selection can be made so that with a moderate pull of string, five-note gamakam can be achieved on the same fret; Enhanced volume, with the amplifier and speaker built-in to one of the gourds, adjustable volume; Increased sustenance of notes; thus long passages can be played with fewer plucks, adjustable ‘sustain’ to suit a user’s style; 8 ‘voice’ choices ( types of sound) – e.g. Tanjore veena, mandolin, saxophone, flute, etc.

Digitally preset fret positions for perfect frequency of each note; Built-in electronic tambura for sruti and line-out facility, battery back-up in case of AC Mains power failure; Complete portability, as the sound box of the veena is dispensed with, and replaced by a detachable gourd with an ampli-speaker with easy assembly / disassembly.