The word ‘Bansuri’ is a conjunction of two words – Baans (bamboo) + Sur (musical note). The Hindustani Bansuri can easily produce all basic elements of Hindustani music. Versatile bansuri players also produce emotions in their music through variations in blowing style.
The Bansuri has a very significant place in Hindu mythology. It is believed that Lord Krishna, some five thousand years ago had held the people of the village Vrindavan in a trance with the mesmerizing melodies produced by Him on the Bansuri. Hearing his bansuri lost cows would find their way home and damsels of the village would forget all and run to see him! This is how the legend goes.
Originally used as a folk instrument and to accompany dance, the Bansuri has only recently since the 20th century been used in Classical Hindustani Music. The Bansuri is a very simple instrument. As Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia puts it, “it is Lord Krishna’s instrument and He has made it deceptively simple. To become adept in the bansuri, however one needs many months of practice.”

Some of the renowned artists include Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia and Sri. Rajendra Kulkarni