This ingenious instrument, in the shape of a violin, is made from arralee (teak), jackfruit and coconut shell. Its string is made from a plant known as naagachitaamradaa. The string is stretched across a dish-shaped kinnam (resonator), which has a wooden stem attached to it. There are some wooden bangles at the end of the bow, used to provide rhythms while playing.

The veena is played with a small arrow made out of a piece of bamboo.