A wind instrument is a musical instrument that contains some type of resonator in which a column of air is set into vibration by the player blowing into a mouthpiece set at the end of the resonator. Prominent in the music of all cultures since prehistoric times, wind instruments exhibit great diversity in structure and sonority.
Shehnai - A Wind Instrument of Rajasthan
A variety of wind instruments complete the multitude of folk music instruments of Rajasthan which include, Algoza, Satara, Murla, Nad, Poongi and Shehnai. There are other instruments like Morchang (Jewish Harp) that are unique additions to the great repository of folk instruments as they are unlike any instruments found anywhere in the world.
Today we will discuss about various Wind Instruments of Rajasthan.
Algoza – Type of Double Flute
This instrument is played by blowing into them. Rajasthan folk music has many variations of the flute. The Peli of the Meos of Alwar is a short flute, to the music of which the Ratwai is sung in a high pitch. The Algoza, common in the Tonk-Ajmer areas, is two such flutes played together. The Kathodis use the Pawri, a flute of bamboo held vertically.
Satara, Nad
The Satara of the Langas has one long flute and another flute to provide the drone. The Narh or Nad produces music most evocative of the desert. It is a vertical flute with a single long hollow tube, into which the player whistles, at the same time gurgling a song in his throat or actually singing intermittently. The effect is haunting.
Poongi and Murla
Then there is the Poongi of the snake charmers and its adaptation by the Langas called the Murla. Both have two tubes, one for the notes and the other for the drone.
