--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-fr/instrumental/hindustani-classical/bansuri-flute' title: 'Bansuri (Flute): bamboo flute of North India' author: name: Anonymous updated: '2026-11-05T23:59:00+00:00' type: website summary: 'The bansuri is a keyless, side-blown bamboo flute of Hindustani classical music. Finger holes change the pitch, and a note lasts only as long as the breath.' tags: - 'Hindustani Classical' image: 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:secure_url': 'https://kalasudha.com/themes/custom/music_agency/assets/icon/logo.svg' 'image:type': image/svg+xml 'image:alt': KalaSudha --- Specific Discipline # Bansuri (Flute) बाँसुरी Shape a raga phrase through tone, finger movement and planned breathing. Bamboo flute Hindustani raga The bansuri is a side-blown bamboo flute of Hindustani music. Learners build a clear tone and control of the finger holes, then carry both into raga phrases and compositions. [ Explore Courses ](/en-fr/courses?discipline=79) [ Show interest ](/en-fr/instrumental/hindustani-classical/bansuri-flute/show-interest) [Sign in to follow](/en-fr/user/login?flag_anon=follow_term-79&destination=/en-fr/markdownify/taxonomy/term/79) [ Share ](/en-fr/share/term/79) ## Know the instrument Explore its sound, construction and care in the instrument guide. - [ Flute ](/en-fr/instrument/flute) ## Overview The **bansuri** is a side-blown bamboo flute with no keys, played in [Hindustani classical](/en-fr/instrumental/hindustani-classical) music of North India. The player directs a stream of air across a blowing hole and changes pitch by covering, part-covering or uncovering the finger holes. The name also covers folk flutes, among them a small five-hole flute that a Girasia community in Rajasthan played for seasonal dances. In the Carnatic music of South India the bamboo flute is called the [venu](/en-fr/instrumental/carnatic-classical/venu-flute). Learning starts with a clear tone and steady control of the finger holes. Study then turns to **raga**, the melodic mode that governs a performance, learnt through its characteristic phrases and ornaments. Notes sustain only as long as the breath, so players plan phrasing and breathing together. Compositions follow, set in a **tala**, or rhythmic cycle, and often played with tabla. A full performance may open with an unmetered alap that unfolds the raga before the composition begins. Bansuris come in many lengths, longer flutes sounding lower, and one guide treats the longest as rare and hard to play. Part of **Hindustani Classical**: Hindustani classical instrumental music is North Indian raga music played on instruments such as sitar, sarod, sarangi, bansuri and tabla, each with its own technique. ### Quick Facts Practice Hindustani classical Instrument Side-blown bamboo flute Pitch control No keys: fingers and lips Study material Raga phrases and compositions ## History & Evolution Writers on the bansuri credit **Pannalal Ghosh** (1911 to 1960) with bringing it into modern Hindustani classical music. The musicologist Carl Clements finds no sign of an existing Hindustani classical bansuri tradition in the 1930s and 1940s, when Ghosh was adapting the flute for the concert stage. Ghosh studied with Girija Shankar Chakravarti and joined the **Maihar gharana**, or school, through Allauddin Khan. About three quarters of the recorded performance time Clements analysed follows the slow and fast sections of [khyal](/vocal/hindustani-classical/khayal), a vocal genre, in a format close to the Kirana gharana. His students' tradition credits him with a seventh finger hole that helps with notes in ragas such as Puriya, Darbari and Bihag. **Hariprasad Chaurasia** has called his own style based on [dhrupad](/vocal/hindustani-classical/dhrupad), a genre many musicians consider more traditional than khyal; Clements judges that label, and the vocal-only label given to Ghosh, oversimplified. An NCPA feature credits Ronu Majumdar with bringing **beenkari ang**, the dhrupad-rooted style of the been or [rudra veena](/instrumental/hindustani-classical/rudra-veena), to the bansuri, with vocal forms learnt from Laxmanprasad Jaipurwale of the Kunwar Shyam tradition. 25 December 1971 ### Bansuri talk and recital at the Music Academy At the Music Academy's 45th conference on 25 December 1971, a specialist in the North Indian long flute showed three flutes he had made, explained bamboo selection and hole placement, and played Yaman, Darbari and Desh with tabla. 1974 recording; 1989 release ### Venu, a live bansuri and tabla recording Hariprasad Chaurasia recorded Venu live with Zakir Hussain on tabla in Fairfax, California, in November 1974. Raga Ahir Bhairav unfolds in an unmetred alap and pulsed jor, then two gats, or compositions. Rykodisc issued it in 1989. 2011 awards ### Akademi Fellowship for a bansuri player The Sangeet Natak Akademi elected Hariprasad Chaurasia a Fellow in its 2011 awards, with the ceremony set for 9 October 2012. His citation names his teachers: Rajaram of Benares, Bholanath, and Annapurna Devi of the Maihar gharana. April 2021 ### Bansuri in an NCPA feature In the NCPA's ON Stage magazine, Ronu Majumdar says that in folk style any fingering could serve as Sa, the tonic, and that Pannalal Ghosh fixed it for classical playing, opening a span of two and a half octaves. ## Technical Aspects ### How the bansuri makes its sound The lips direct a narrow **air jet** across the blowing hole onto its far edge. The jet works in step with resonances of the air column inside the bamboo, and together they sustain the vibration you hear as sound. The tube is closed at the end nearest the blowing hole. A concert bansuri in the Horniman Museum, London (2007.468), seals that end with a cork stopper. Rolling the flute so that the lip covers more of the blowing hole lowers a note a little. Players start and separate notes with **tonguing**, a light stroke of the tongue; single, double, triple and flutter tonguing are all possible. Vibrato comes from rocking a finger over an open hole or from the breath. Carl Clements, who analysed the recordings of Pannalal Ghosh, finds that Hariprasad Chaurasia tongues more than Ghosh did, and suggests he does so to echo plucked strings. Clements links the flute's closeness to the voice to two features: notes that sustain for as long as the breath lasts, and glides as fluent as a singer's. ### Finger holes, meend and tuning The bansuri has no keys. The fingers cover, uncover or part-cover the open holes, and the pattern of covered holes decides which note the air column sounds. Sliding a finger on or off a hole by degrees produces **meend**, a continuous glide from one pitch to another, and the same partial covering gives the microtonal ornaments of raga phrasing. The **Natyasastra**, an early treatise that its translator Manomohan Ghosh dates to about 200 CE, gives flute notes made from open holes, half-open holes and holes under a shaken finger. One composers' guide names each flute by its pipe note, the note sounded with every hole closed, and places **Sa**, the tonic, with the three upper holes closed, a fourth above that note. The pitch of Sa depends on the size of the flute. Makers tune single notes by enlarging or reducing a hole, and the scale does not follow equal temperament, the piano tuning that splits the octave into twelve equal steps. Fingerings in the third octave vary with the bamboo and with how the player blows. ### Moving between registers A higher note needs the air jet to reach the edge sooner, so the player blows a faster, shorter jet. The **register break** is the point where the flute moves up to the next overtone to sound the higher octave. A glide cannot cross the break without a jump in the line. Length sets the overall pitch: longer flutes sound lower. The Horniman concert flute measures 650 mm, about 26 inches, and a composers' guide lists sizes from about 14 to 30 inches, with the longest rare and hard to play. A finished flute cannot be retuned by shortening it, since the holes would then sit in the wrong places. The playable **range** depends on the flute and the player. Published figures run from about two octaves and a third to three octaves or more for an expert, with the top notes the hardest to control and keep in tune. ## Journey to Mastery Follow this structured journey to master this discipline 1. 1 ### Find a clear tone Find a clear first tone. Ask your teacher to show how your lips align with the blowing hole, then play a short, comfortable note and pause. Keep the fingering the same and make one small change to the lip position before the next attempt. Listen to each attempt and compare its clarity with the one before. 2. 2 ### Seal and uncover a hole Cover the holes for a note your teacher has shown you, then lift and replace one finger while the others stay settled. Listen for the original pitch when the finger returns. If the returning note sounds different, check the hole coverage with your teacher before you repeat the exercise. 3. 3 ### Control a short meend Play a short meend, a glide between two nearby notes chosen by your teacher. Sound each note on its own first, then connect them by sliding a finger on or off a hole a little at a time. Compare the note you arrive at with the separate note you played first. Keep the glide short while you learn how much finger travel your flute needs. 4. 4 ### Plan a phrase around breathing Learn a short raga phrase and mark a comfortable breathing point in it with your teacher. Play up to that point, breathe, then continue the phrase. Listen for whether the note after the breath keeps its pitch and character. Shorten or lengthen the phrase to suit your present comfort. 5. 5 ### Keep the entry in tala Find where a short composition phrase begins in the tala cycle. Count the cycle aloud while your teacher plays the phrase, then play it yourself. Agree on a breathing point that lets the next entry arrive on time, and practise the breath and the entry together. ## Media Gallery Audio and video performances [ Live Performance 9:20 ### Mountain Dhun by Ajay Prasanna \| Live \| Raga Unison at Edinburgh 7 months ago ](/en-fr/video/mountain-dhun-by-ajay-prasanna-live-raga-unison-at-edinburgh) [ Live Performance 12:32 ### Yaad Piya Ki Aaye \| Ajay Prasanna \| London Raga Fusion \| Flute, Piano, Tabla & Ghatam \| KalaSudha 8 months ago ](/en-fr/video/yaad-piya-ki-aaye-ajay-prasanna-london-raga-fusion-flute-piano-tabla-ghatam-kalasudha) [ Live Performance 8:31 ### Raag Hansdhwani Live in Edinburgh by Pt. Ajay Prasanna 9 months ago ](/en-fr/video/raag-hansdhwani-live-in-edinburgh-by-pt-ajay-prasanna) [ Live Performance 19:31 ### The Soul of Sunset: Raag Marwa Aalap in Edinburgh by Pt. Ajay Prasanna 10 months ago ](/en-fr/video/the-soul-of-sunset-raag-marwa-aalap-in-edinburgh-by-pt-ajay-prasanna) [ Live Performance 7:42 ### Raag Madhuvanti Jhala \| Flute \| Tabla \| Pakhawaj \| Music of India \| Purvi Festival 2023 1 year ago ](/en-fr/video/raag-madhuvanti-jhala-flute-tabla-pakhawaj-music-of-india-purvi-festival-2023) [ Live Performance 6:43 ### Raag Madhuvanti Alap \| Flute \| Music of India \| Shanish Kumar Gaywali \| Purvi Festival 2023 1 year ago ](/en-fr/video/raag-madhuvanti-alap-flute-music-of-india-shanish-kumar-gaywali-purvi-festival-2023) ## Featured Artists Renowned performers of this discipline ## [Shanish Kumar ](/en-fr/artist/shanish-kumar) Dr Shanish Kumar Gyawali plays bansuri in the Banaras tradition, trained by Vinod Prasanna and Dr Prahalad Nath, PhD from BHU, AIR ‘B High’ grade, Young Artist Scholarship. [ ](https://www.instagram.com/shanishflute/ "Instagram") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/shanishflute "Facebook") ## [Ajay Prasanna ](/en-fr/artist/ajay-prasanna) Pandit Ajay Prasanna is a widely acclaimed international flautist from a distinguished musical family. He carries the legacy of his father, Pandit Bholanath Prasanna, who was one of the best flautists Flute [ ](https://www.facebook.com/FluteAjayPrasanna/ "Facebook") [ ](https://www.instagram.com/ajayprasannaflute/ "Instagram") ## Frequently Asked Questions How long does it take to learn the bansuri? Your progress on the [bansuri](/en-fr/instrumental/hindustani-classical/bansuri-flute), the side-blown bamboo flute, follows your practice, and before any melody comes a clear tone. At **Foundation**, your teacher shows where to set your lips at the blowing hole, and you adjust them a little between attempts. Later stages add **meend**, a glide made by sliding a finger on or off a hole. Your teacher closes each topic only after reviewing your work, and the award for each level records your learning hours. KalaSudha's [online academy](/en-fr/academy) teaches the bansuri in live one-to-one lessons, plus workshops and summer camps where enough learners sign up. How can a beginner, a child or an adult coming back after a long break start learning the bansuri flute? KalaSudha teaches the [bansuri](/en-fr/instrumental/hindustani-classical/bansuri-flute) online and in workshops, and every beginner starts at **Foundation** level. You begin with the embouchure, the shape of the lips at the blow hole, until a clear first tone sounds. Children learn with us as well as adults: ask us about a starting age, and about a flute size for a younger learner. If you are taking up the bansuri again after a long break, our [courses](/en-fr/courses) run in levels. Your teacher reviews where you stand, then you start again where you left off. How do I find a good bansuri teacher? To find a good bansuri teacher, or guru, look for one who can tell you who they learned from. From your first lesson, a good teacher checks your embouchure, the shape of the lips at the blow hole. On KalaSudha, each teacher's lineage is on their profile. Pick one yourself, or ask us to match you. Lessons are live and online, from £30 / $30 an hour, set by each teacher. If you have played before, your teacher first reviews where you stand. Where enough learners sign up, we also bring workshops and summer camps near them. [Ask about bansuri lessons in the Academy](/en-fr/academy). How much do bansuri lessons cost? Bansuri lessons with KalaSudha are from **£30 / $30 an hour, set by each teacher**, and shown in your currency on the teacher's booking page. Every lesson is live and one-to-one, online, booked in your own time zone. Each teacher's lineage is on their profile: pick a teacher, or ask KalaSudha to match you, then choose a length and a time and pay at checkout. Have more questions? Contact our support team and we'll be happy to help! ## Past Performances [ ](/en-fr/event/london-ragas-breath-into-sound-pandit-ajay-prasanna) ### [ London Ragas: Breath into Sound \| Pandit Ajay Prasanna ](/en-fr/event/london-ragas-breath-into-sound-pandit-ajay-prasanna) Date THU, AUG 20 Time 7:00 PM - AP [Ajay Prasanna](/en-fr/artist/ajay-prasanna) • - KH [Kayam Hussain](/en-fr/artist/kayam-hussain) **The Tate Institute** Early Bird [ View Details ](/en-fr/event/london-ragas-breath-into-sound-pandit-ajay-prasanna) [ ](/en-fr/event/bansuri-workshop-in-london-with-pandit-ajay-prasanna) ### [ Bansuri Workshop in London with Pandit Ajay Prasanna ](/en-fr/event/bansuri-workshop-in-london-with-pandit-ajay-prasanna) Date WED, AUG 19 Time 6:00 PM - AP [Ajay Prasanna](/en-fr/artist/ajay-prasanna) **The Tate Institute** Early Bird [ View Details ](/en-fr/event/bansuri-workshop-in-london-with-pandit-ajay-prasanna) [ ](/en-fr/event/raga-unison-at-edinburgh-wind-drums-and-strings-double-bill-concert) ### [ Raga Unison at Edinburgh: Wind, Drums and Strings \| Double Bill Concert ](/en-fr/event/raga-unison-at-edinburgh-wind-drums-and-strings-double-bill-concert) Date SUN, NOV 16 Time 5:30 PM - AP [Ajay Prasanna](/en-fr/artist/ajay-prasanna) • - DC [Debasis Chakroborty](/en-fr/artist/debasis-chakroborty) • - SH [Shahbaz Hussain](/en-fr/artist/shahbaz-hussain) • - GM [Giuliano Modarelli](/en-fr/artist/giuliano-modarelli) • - RN [R. N. Prakash](/en-fr/artist/r-n-prakash) **Assembly Rooms** Early Bird [ View Details ](/en-fr/event/raga-unison-at-edinburgh-wind-drums-and-strings-double-bill-concert) [ ](/en-fr/event/london-ragas-fusion-flute-piano-tabla-ghatam-in-dialogue) ### [ London Ragas Fusion: Flute, Piano, Tabla & Ghatam in Dialogue ](/en-fr/event/london-ragas-fusion-flute-piano-tabla-ghatam-in-dialogue) Date SAT, NOV 15 Time 7:30 PM - AP [Ajay Prasanna](/en-fr/artist/ajay-prasanna) • - R [Rekesh Chauhan](/en-fr/artist/rekesh-chauhan) • - SH [Shahbaz Hussain](/en-fr/artist/shahbaz-hussain) • - RN [R. N. Prakash](/en-fr/artist/r-n-prakash) • - GM [Giuliano Modarelli](/en-fr/artist/giuliano-modarelli) **The Duke's Hall** Early Bird [ View Details ](/en-fr/event/london-ragas-fusion-flute-piano-tabla-ghatam-in-dialogue) Stay close ## Keep KalaSudha close. 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