Gottuvadhyam

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The gottuvadhyam (also known as gottuvadyam, chitravina, chitra vina, or mahanataka vina) is a Carnatic music string instrument played mainly in South India. It is usually used as a solo instrument in Carnatic music.

The gottuvadhyam resembles the Saraswati veena in its general form. It is a complicated ancient instrument with twenty-one strings. Unlike the traditional veena or sitar, it is fretless. The fretless nature of the instrument makes it the closest instrument to vocal standards. There are six main strings used for melody that pass over the top of the instrument, three drone strings, and about twelve sympathetic strings running parallel and below the main strings.

The approach to tuning is in some ways similar to the sitar; in other ways it is similar to the Saraswati veena, but in many ways it is unique. It is played with a slide in a manner somewhat like a lap steel guitar. The fingers on the right hand are usually used with plectra to pluck the metal melody strings while a cylindrical block made out of hardwood (often ebony), water buffalo horn, glass, steel, or teflon held by the left hand is used to slide along the strings to vary the pitch. Appropriately, the name gottuvadhyam literally means "block instrument."

N. Ravikiran (b. 1967) is the undisputed master of the instrument. The gottuvadhyam was popularised in South India by Sakharam Rao of Tiruvidaimarudur. It was later taken up and further popularised by Narayan Iyengar, who was a palace musician of the old state of Mysore.