Veena is heard only by MEETU. To bring out the various sounds and gamakas (from and like vocal) on Veena the instrument has to be played by both hands. Striking with right-hand fingers is as equally important as the left hand playing on the frets. If the plucking by the right-hand fingers is not well coordinated with the work of left-hand finger work on the fretboard the creation of art fails.
VEENA – 16 varieties of Meetu
(1) SANNA MEETU: To strike (in a mild way) (THIN STRIKING) to get nada delicately (Sound).
(2) DODDA MEETU: Striking in such a hard way that Nada is heard loudly.
(3) LO MEETU: To strike the string from top to bottom with index finger.
(4) VELI MEETU: To strike from down to upwards.
(5) KATTERA MEETU: First strike the string with index finger and then with the middle immediately without delay.
(6) TODU MEETU: To strike with index and middle finger separately.
(7) TADA MEETU: Striking the 3rd letter in Tisram with the middle finger used while playing Tanam.
(8) ADDU MEETU: To strike with index finger and then stop the produced nada with the middle finger and again strike the same with middle finger. This method is used for Sahityam and brings out sahitya bhava and sounding sahityakshara.
(9) ABADDHAPU MEETU: To strike where there is no saahityaakshara but is only for beauty and pleasure.
(10) KOOTA MEETU: This is known as Ranjana Meetu also. This is striking all the 4 strings with 3 fingers simultaneously to create beauty.
(11) VIDI MEETU: To strike Shadja, Mandra Panchama, and Mandra Shadja strings separately in some occasions to produce beauty
(12) PAKKA MEETU: To strike the side tala strings simultaneously from bottom to top.
(13) GOTU MEETU: To strike both the upper string and the tala strings simultaneously.
(14) PATTU MEETU: Striking with the index finger and stopping the naada with the middle finger. This variety is called as STACATO in Western Music.
(15) SWARA MEETU: To strike every swara.
(16) SAAHITYA MEETU: To strike only for Saahityakshara. If all these 16 varieties of striking are learnt and can be played then it means that Veena playing is half learnt. If in addition Janta Swaras are practiced along with the gamakas like Aandolita and Kampita then there is nothing else to be achieved to create beauty.