Sitar, long-necked lute. The kachva (tortoise) style back made of of a segment of a gourd with a central indentation marking the location of the calyx, and an ivory stringholder with central hook nailed to the base. Gilded flowers and foliage carved in relief extend from the base of the neck to the top of the back. The table of yellow brown wood is pierced with four sets of five small soundholes. The neck with fifteen tied metal frets, and an ivory border with an incised pattern of foliage. Ivory nut and string guide. The pegbox with five ivory pegs (three of them replacements) in the form of seated lions, for five wire strings. The top of the pegbox is surmounted by an ivory panel incised with a depiction of a lion. The front of the whole instrument has a repoussé silver border depicting flowers and foliage, with opposed pairs of birds (at the base of the neck), rams (at the top of the neck) and lions (at the top of the pegbox). Replacement wooden bridge.
