A stringed instrument found in the northern and north-west regions of India, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, where it is used in religious music and light classical songs in the urban areas. Its name is translated as 'robber of the heart'.

The dilruba originates from the taus, which was an early Sikh instrument. The dilruba was developed to replace the heavy taus and make it more convenient for the Sikh army to carry on horseback.

The dilruba is often confused with the esraj, which has a very similar structure. Each has a medium sized sitar-like neck with 20 heavy metal frets connected to a long wooden rack of 12-15 sympathetic strings. Both have 4 main strings which are bowed. All strings are metal. The only differences tend to be in the shape of the resonators and the manner in which the sympathetic strings attach. The dilruba may also have more sympathetic strings.

The instrument can be rested between the knees while the player kneels, or more commonly rested on the knee of the player while sitting, or also on the floor just in front of the player, with the neck leaning on the left shoulder. It is played with a bow, with the other hand moving along the strings above the frets. The player may slide the note up or down to achieve the portamento, or meend, characteristic of Indian music.

Both the esraj and the dilruba had been declining in popularity for many decades and by the 1980 were nearly extinct, but are once again attracting considerable attention.