The only primordial musical instrument of our nature, the bansuri or the bamboo flute has been around since time immemorial. Expressing sublime and wondrous emotions, it has surely come a long way from being just a popular folk instrument to a mainstream concert instrument.

Call of the dIvIne
Holding an exceptionally revered position in India for its close association with Lord Krishna, the bamboo flute is one of the oldest musical instruments known to man.
With its mythological connections, the sound of Krishna’s flute represents call of the divine for individual
souls. Stories of Ras Lila galore at mere mention of flute. Some of these stories form the core idea of hundreds of songs and ragas (musical notes) in Hindustani classical music.

However, many agree that the flute came into existence much before that. They believe that the origin of the flute was in the jungles when pests and insects carved holes into bamboo sticks; when wind blew through these bamboo trees, the result was sweet notes. The ‘Bansuri’, bans (bamboo) plus sur (musical note), is usually a long bamboo pipe with six or seven holes punched into it. While one end of the flute is placed on the lower lip to blow, the fingers manipulate the sound produced by exposing and
covering the holes.