Duitara (called as ''Ka Duitara'') is a four-stringed

Khasi Khasi may refer to: * Khasi people, an ethnic group of Meghalaya, India * Khasi language, a major Austroasiatic language spoken in Meghalaya, India * Khāṣi language, an Indo-Aryan language of Jammu and Kashmir, India See also * Khasi Hills * Gh ...

and Jaintia folk musical instrument of Meghalaya that resembles a guitar. The term seems similar to the

dotara The ''dotara'' (or ''dotar'') Persian ( bn, দোতারা, as, দোতাৰা, literally, 'Of or having two strings') is a two, four, or sometimes five- stringed musical instrument, originating from Iran and Central Asia. It is comm ...

instrument played in the neighboring states of Assam and West Bengal. The duitara consists of strong hard wood, the hollow in the belly of its main body is coated with dried animal skin, and its neck has at its end four holes in which wooden pegs hold the strings in tune. The strings are made of 'muga' silk. The folk musician

Skendrowell Syiemlieh Skendrowell Syiemlieh (died 2008) was a Khasi folk and Gospel singer. He was a master musician and an accomplished artist of the folk instrument known as the duitara. He was also the playback singer for the Khasi film ''U Manik Raitong''. Syiem ...

was an accomplished artist of this instrument. Duitara is unlike the bow-shaped veena, santoor, ektara, tambura,

jantra Jantra is a village in Võru Parish Võru Parish ( et, Võru vald; vro, Võro vald) is a rural municipality of Estonia, in Võru County Võru County ( et, Võru maakond or ''Võrumaa''; vro, Võro maakund) is a county in southern Eston ...

, sarod and sarangi."The Title of the Theme 'Sawdong ka lyngwiar dpei'" Department of Arts and Culture, Government of Meghalaya
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References

Indian_musical_instruments Musical_instruments {{Composite-instrument-stub