The tambora (Marathi), tambura (South India), tamburo (Gujarati), or tanpura (North India) is a long necked plucked lute, a stringed instrument found in different versions in different places. The tanpura in its bodily shape somewhat resembles the sitar, but it has no frets, as only the open strings are played as a harmonic accompaniment to the other musicians. It has four or five (rarely, six) wire strings, which are plucked one after another in a regular pattern to create a harmonic resonance on the basic note (bourdon or drone function).