Sliding the fingers on and off the holes allows for production of variety of Gamakas, important in the performance of raga-based music. The flute is like the human voice in that it is monophonic and also has a typical two and half octave sound reproduction. The venu is capable of producing two and half octaves with the help of over-blowing and cross fingering. The venu is also a highly respected instrument and those who play it are expected to appreciate it, for it is considered a gift to be able to play it. It has a blowing hole near one end, and eight closely placed finger holes. The fingers of both hands are used to close and open the holes. One of the oldest musical instruments of India, the instrument is a key-less transverse flute made of bamboo. Ī venu is a musical instrument common in Krishna iconography Ī venu is a part of the iconography of Hindu god Krishna. The vamsika has eight holes, between twelve and seventeen fingers long. A longer murali has four holes and two hands longs.
A venu has six holes, is about the thickness of a thumb, and twelve fingers long. The ancient Sanskrit texts of India describe other side blown flutes such as the murali and vamsika, but sometimes these terms are used interchangeably. The venu is discussed as an important musical instrument in the Natya Shastra, the classic Hindu text on music and performance arts. It is known as pillana grōvi (పిల్లన గ్రోవి) or Vēṇuvu (వేణువు) in Telugu (Andhra Pradesh). In the South, it is also called by various other names such as pullangkuzhal (புல்லாங்குழல்) in Tamil (Tamil Nadu), oodakuzhal (ഓടകുഴൽ) or kurungu kuzhal (കുറുന് കുഴൽ) in Malayalam (Kerala) and ಕೊಳಲು (koḷalu) or ಮುರಳಿ(muraļi) in Kannada (Karnataka). In Northern Indian music, a similar flute is called bansuri. It continues to be in use in the South Indian Carnatic music tradition. It is an aerophone typically made from bamboo, that is a side blown wind instrument. The venu (Sanskrit: वेणु vēṇu/मुरळि muraļi) is one of the ancient transverse flutes of Indian classical music. More than 2.5 Octaves (8-hole bamboo flute)
Muraḷi, Vēṇuvu, pillana grōvi, kūḷalu, pullangkuzhal, oodakuzhal This article is about the ancient Indian flute.