I have just started my Sitar lessons, and now looking to purchase my sitar so I can practice at home. I have looked around for sitars, and they are a bit on the higher side. On the other hand, there is an option, to have brought from India, which I am guessing that would be cheaper than buying it from the UK. I would like some prices on a basic sitar in India. I don't need details and prices for the electric sitar but the basic and simple one. If it is cheaper to purchase a sitar from India, then I would get people who are in India go shopping for it quickly as they will be back early May.
Costs for a basic sitar start from Rs7500 and goes up to Rs25000. I believe there are certain types of basic sitars as well, and you have not mentioned anything specific which is why I have given a broad price range.
Thank you Dhruv for the information. Sorry, I didn't mention anything else about the type of sitar, it slipped my mind. It was just the basic of basic sitars I was after. You can say something for starters, which is also known as Ravi Shankar Sitar.
Basic ones would probably land you around 300 USD, the professionals' equipment (meant for concerts and theatrical performances) around 3 times as much because of the quality, at around 1,500 USD, but for the ones with carvings, really high quality materials, or even stories behind them, it can go as high as 4,500 USD. But I think those really expensive ones are just for decoration at that point, as who would want to play a $4,500 sitar and risk damaging any part of it?
While the actual sitar itself might be cheaper when bought from India, don't forget you'll have to factor in the insurance and shipping costs on top of that price aswell. Also make sure that you find a reputable and trusted dealer, as a lot of places on the internet these days, aren't exactly strictly legitimate.
