This wind instrument of ancient India was very common with Lord Krishna and the religious music of the Buddhists. Even the frescoes of Ajanta and Ellora depict this Flute or Bansuri as an accompaniment to vocal and instrumental music.

Being an instrument of great antiquity, its construction remained constant over the years. It is made of a cylinderical bamboo pipe of uniform bore, containing six holes for movement of the fingers and a bigger hole for blowing air. It is handled in an oblique position and air is blown with the upper lip into the main hole. Different octaves are produced by covering the holes with the fingers.