The Bansuri - An Introduction

The Bansuri is named after the combination of two words; Bans which means bamboo and Sur which means musical note. The Bansuri is made of a single length of bamboo and has six to eight open fingers holes. Bansuri or Flute (literally Bamboo Flute) is a cylindrical tube made of bamboo with uniform bore and closed at one end. Bansuris or Flutes are of different kinds and lengths and number of holes varies. The length can vary from eight inches to tow and half feet that is 30 inch. There is mouth hole in every flute. In addition to it there are 6 to 8 holes arranged in a straight line. The range of the bansuri or flute is about 2 and half octaves. Long bansuris or flutes have a rich, deep and mellow tone whereas in small bansuris or flutes the tone is high pitched.


The flute is one of the oldest known musical instruments in the world. In its most basic form it is just a tube made of bamboo with a few holes. In Indian mythology and culture the bamboo flute, also known as the bansuri has a special significance as it is the chosen instrument of the Hindu god Krishna, who is often depicted playing it.


The bansuri is a side blown flute made of bamboo and generally has six or seven holes. There are two varieties of bansuri: the traverse, and the fipple. The fipple variety is usually played in folk music. It is somewhat similar to the western recorder. The transverse variety is preferred in classical music as it offers more control and flexibility.



The bansuri has always been known as the instrument of the shepherds and has been widely used in folk music. The status of the bansuri as a concert instrument was established much recently, solely by the efforts of a legendary Indian musician by the name of Pt Pannalal Ghosh.

Pt Pannalal Ghosh popularized a larger form of the instrument with a deeper bass sound and he included a seventh finger hole which apart from extending the range of the instrument, allowed for more accurate renditions of higher registers. One of his major innovations was the adaptation of the classical vocal style and its presentation on the bansuri.

In south Indian classical music a similar bamboo flute is used which is called the Venu or the Carnatic flute. It differs from the bansuri as it has eight finger holes.

History of Bansuri

This my first blog ,hope you people like and this is for true Bansuri fans.

The Bansuri is named after the combination of two words; Bans which means bamboo and Sur which means musical note. The Bansuri is made of a single length of bamboo and has six to eight open fingers holes. Bansuri or Flute (literally Bamboo Flute) is a cylindrical tube made of bamboo with uniform bore and closed at one end. Bansuris or Flutes are of different kinds and lengths and number of holes varies. The length can vary from eight inches to tow and half feet that is 30 inch. There is mouth hole in every flute. In addition to it there are 6 to 8 holes arranged in a straight line. The range of the bansuri or flute is about 2 and half octaves. Long bansuris or flutes have a rich, deep and mellow tone whereas in small bansuris or flutes the tone is high pitched.






Lord Krishna loved to keep always His Bansuri with Him. Radha and the Gopis became jealous of the flute, as it had the rare fortune of perpetually tasting the nectar of Lord Krishna’s lips which was denied to them though they pined for it. They all determined to steal it and break it to pieces.

  One day, after “Rasa Lila”, they noticed that their Krishna was tired, they asked Him to take rest for a while.Lord Krishna knew their innermost thoughts but pretended deep sleep. Radha with the help of other Sakhis took the Bansuri of  Krishna and hide it under a tree.After some time, Lord Krishna woke up and found his Bansuri missing and he approaches every Gopis.

Missing of RADHA: 

 

               Lord Krishna asks every Gopi. All deny any knowledge of the flute. Then he finds that Radha was missing and asks of the Gopis about her whereabouts.BUt they told they do not know.Krishna began to search for Radha, singing. 

He finds Radha sitting under a tree surrounded by green foliage, sweet-smelling flowers and Krishna said Radha! What a darling you are! You lulled me to  and before i  get rid of my tiresomeness you have made me ten times more weary by disappearing suddenly!

 

 

Talking with Radha: 

 

Radha told krishna  I am the master of my own fancies. Who are you to question that? But Krishna said , What about me? You are my Controller, Radha.

            Radha: Aey, don’t go on flattering me. I know there is something behind these words. You won’t talk in this fashion without some purpose. Now, what do you want?

 

  Krishna: You are a thought-reader, Radha. I come to ask you about my flute. Only you  know where it is. I was fast asleep and woke up to find it missing.
          Radha: Hare, what is this? What do I know about it? Go, go! Leave me alone. And, all this worry for a little piece of bamboo. See, there is a forest of bamboos. Why don’t you cut a piece from one of the trees and be done with it? And What are you doing with that blessed Bansuri, that you should get peace only from it?

Secret of Flute:

 

 

,pour love and joy into the hearts of the Gopis and melt the minds of the animate and inanimate beings assemble the dull Bhaktas like the cows with the music of the flute and feed them with the fruits of their Karmas under my supervision and they respond to my call by repeating my name. I do my universal supervision only through my Bansuri. If anybody wants to taste the nectarine sweetness of my lips, he should empty himself of his egoism completely, as the Bansuri empties itself quickly so that I may fill it with my music and keep it always near my lips.

Garden of Bansuris:

When Krishna is out of sight, Radha and the Gopis assemble and break the flute. To their surprise, every piece begins to dance and sing. There was a garden of Bansuris.They look at each other and begin to catch hold of the dancing Bansuris. They could not catch even one. 

Not knowing what to do, they call Krishna to their aid. Krishna came and receives the broken piece from Radha and it assumes its original size. The dancing Bansuris disappear.

Such is the glory and secret of Lord Krishna’s flute.