The veena, with its long, fretted neck and gourd-like resonator, bears a resemblance to the sitar and has been used in South India for over a millennium. It is one of the most revered instruments in Indian culture: the goddess Saraswati — deity of learning and the arts — is nearly always depicted playing the veena, an act that symbolizes the expression of knowledge and creativity.

The venu, a transverse bamboo flute, has a long tradition in Indian music and culture. It evokes the deity Krishna, who is often depicted playing this instrument. To some, it can sound closer to nature than the Western metal flute, evoking brightness but within a darker, earthier world.