What is the difference between Carnatic flute and bansuri?
Rachel Hickman
Published Mar 06, 2026
What is the difference between Carnatic flute and bansuri?
The Carnatic flute is known as Venu, and the Hindustani flute as Bansuri. This is the distinction between them in vocabulary. The Venu consists of 8 finger holes, while Bansuri consists of six or seven finger holes. Also bansuri is used mostly in north indian music while venu in south indian music.
Which Carnatic flute is best for beginners?
Best Flute for Beginners in India
- Punam Flutes C Natural Medium Right Hand Bansuri 19 inches.
- Punam Flutes C Sharp Medium Right Hand Bansuri 18 inches.
- Sarfuddin flutes, Scale C Natural Medium 19 Inches Bamboo Flute/Bansuri.
- Radhe Flutes PVC Fiber C Natural Bansuri Middle Octave Right Handed (19 Inches)
How much does a Carnatic flute cost?
8 Hole Carnatic Flute at Rs 320/piece | Wooden Flute | ID: 11747634588.
How many years does it take to learn Carnatic flute?
Minimum it will take 2 years to cover the basics perfectly.
Which type of flute Lord Krishna used?
bansuri
The bansuri is revered as Lord Krishna’s divine instrument and is often associated with Krishna’s Rasa lila dance. These legends sometimes use alternate names for this wind instrument, such as the murali.
Who is the God of flute?
Pan
Pan (god)
| Pan | |
|---|---|
| Abode | Arcadia |
| Symbol | Pan flute, goat |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | many variations including: Hermes and Driope, Aphrodite, or Penelope |
Is Carnatic flute hard to learn?
“It’s a very simple instrument with highly complex capabilities…” Recently, there is a slow but noticeable growing trend in Western flute players and musicians from around the world wanting to learn the Carnatic flute of India (not to be confused with the Bansuri).
How many types of flute are there?
The main 3 types of flute are the standard, piccolo and harmony flutes.
What’s the easiest instrument to learn?
Easy Instruments to Learn for Children
- Piano or Keyboard. The piano is arguably the easiest musical instrument for kids to learn and there’s a ton of easy songs to learn.
- Drums. Most children love drums because they’re incredibly physical instruments.
- Ukulele.
- Recorder.
- Violin.
What is the Carnatic flute used for?
As mentioned before, the Carnatic flute is mainly used in South Indian Carnatic muisc (thus, obviously, the name of the flute is such). Before picking up and playing the Carnatic flute, it is important to acknowledge the type of music it was made to serve its purpose for.
What is the name of the flute of South India?
The Flute of South India Pulangoil, Venu, Karnatic flute, Pullanguzhal are the many names given to this unique eight-hole south Indian flute. It is commonly referred to as Carnatic or Karnatik or Karnatic flute based upon the earlier name for a large region of South India.
How did Ramani learn Carnatic music?
Ramani first learnt music from his grandfather, Sri Aazhiyur Narayanaswami Iyer, a well-known flute artist and singer himself. Aware of young Ramani’s keen interest in the Carnatic flute, Dr.N.Ramani’s initiation to Carnatic music began at the age of five.
What style of flute does Surmani Raman play?
Here are some Carnatic flute sound samples played by renowned Carnatic flute virtuoso ‘Surmani’ V.K. Flute Raman. You can also order your next Carnatic flute in Neo style (with lip plate) as detailed on my Neo-Bansuri page. Listen to Flute V.K.Raman play on D# Neo Carnatic flute.
