Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar, plays his instrument during a press conference at New Zealand House, London, United Kingdom on Oct. 15, 1969. Ravi Shankar, 49, is considered as one of the best sitar player of the world. He plays a concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Friday, October 17 and at Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday, October 21 in Centenary Tribute to Gandhi. The sitar is the most popular stringed instrument of India. It has existed in its present form for approximately 700 years. It is fashioned from a seasoned gourd and teawood. It has a track of 20 metal frets with six or seven main playing strings above them and 13 sympathetic resonating strings placed below. The sympathetic strings, which are tuned to the Raga (a melodic form which is the basis of Indian music based on 72 scales) being played. Are also strummed occasionally with the little finger of the right hand inserted under the main strings. The main strings are plucked by a wire plectrum (mizraf), worn on the index finger of the right hand. (AP Photo/Leonard Brown)