Sarod, Indian stringed instrument of the lute family of musical instruments (see Musical Instruments: Plucked and Bowed Lutes), widely used in recitals of the classical music of Hindustan, or northern India. The sarod may have evolved from the central Asian rabab or may be derived from a variety of ancient lutes depicted in the Buddhist frescoes in the Ajanta caves in India and in sculptures carved in the 1st century ad for a Buddhist shrine at Amaravati, India.

The sarod is a squat instrument with a wooden body and bowl covered in parchment, and a short neck holding a steel plate fingerboard. A small metal resonance bowl is attached under the top of the fingerboard. The instrument is without frets (small strips marking positions on the neck) and has 4 to 6 strings for the melody and several strings to carry the drone (constant tone). Like the sitar (Indian long-necked lute), it also has a set of sympathetic strings known as tarab. These strings are not plucked but provide richness of sound by their resonance. The sarod is plucked with a triangular wooden or ivory plectrum. It produces a powerful, vibrant sound and is usually played as a solo instrument.

The sarod was popularized in the 20th century by Bangladeshi musician Allauddin Khan, and his son, Ali Akbar Khan, the latter having performed and taught music in the United States since 1955.