 There are seven steel strings, out of which five are playing strings and the remaining two are drone ("chikari") strings.The number of sympathetic strings ("tarab") is eleven, and helps to keep the strummer in tune while playing gamak.The bridge is open ("khuli") in a Saraswati veena and has a slight curve to inculcate a nasal quality, while the Rudra veena's bridge is closed ("band"), so that a deep resonant sound can be gained.