Venu

The venu (Sanskrit: वेणु; veṇu) is a bamboo transverse flute used in the Carnatic music of South India. Although it is often called Carnatic flute or simply flute in English, venu is the instrument's ancient Sanskrit name. It is also called by various other names in the languages of South India, including pullankuzhal (புல்லாங்குழல்) in Tamil and also in പുല്ലാങ്കുഴല്‍ (Malayalam), and ಕೊಳಲು (koLalu) in Kannada. It is known as pillana grovi (పిల్లన గ్రోవి) in Telugu (Andhra Pradesh). It is called Bansuri in Marathi (Maharashtra), and is used extensively for Hindustani classical music. The flute (Venu) finds great mention in indian mythology and folklore having been listed as amongst the 3 Original Instruments meant for music along with the Veena and Mridangam ( Veena, Venu, Mridanga trinity). However it is strange that there is no name mentioned for the typical flute that the Lord plays. One of the oldest musical instruments of India, the instrument is a keyless transverse flute made of bamboo. The fingers of both hands are used to close and open the holes. It has a blowing hole near one end, and eight closely placed finger holes. The instrument comes in various sizes.

The venu is associated with the Hindu god Krishna, who is often depicted playing it. This kind of flute is mainly used in South India.The Lord Vishnu is portrayed as Sri Venugopala - playing the flute of Creation.

The venu is capable of producing two and half octaves with the help of overblowing and cross fingering. The flute is like the human voice in that it is monophonous and also has the two and half octaves sound reproduction. Sliding the fingers on and off the holes allows for a great degree of ornamentation, important in the performance of raga-based music.

Venuists

Venu players of the past

• Palladam Sanjiva Rao
• Kalaimamani Sri H. Ramachandra Shastry, a disciple of Palladam Sanjiva Rao.
• The late T. R. Mahalingam, a child venuist prodigy who started playing the flute at the age of five years. He is most popularly known as "Mali" or sometimes "Flute Mali."
• Late Sri B.N. Suresh
• Late T. Viswanathan, grandson of Veena Dhanammal and brother of Balasaraswati
• Late Sri T K Radhakrishnan, son of the Legendary composer Lalithadasar and disciple of Palladam Sanjiva Rao
• Late Sri T A Hariharan - Disciple of Sri T K Radhakrishnan and staff Artiste of AIR Chennai
• Late Sri Cochin Ranganathan known for his unique style of Swaraprastharas

Venu players of the present

• Sangeetha Kalaratna, Venugana Visharada, Vidwan B Shankar Rao (born 1922), largely self taught, great friend and informal student of Late Mali, has enriched the field of carnatic music for seven decades and continues to do so personally and through his students.
• Kalaimamani (1983) Sangeetha Nataka Academy Awardee Prof. (Dr. ) Prapancham Seetharaman, a child prodigy, Musicologist, a disciple of T.R. Mahalingam
• Padmashree Sikkil Sisters - Kunjumani & Neela
• Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr. N. Ramani[1], disciple of T. R. Mahalingam
• Sikkil Mala Chandrasekar
• Kalaimamani Sri T S Sankaran - Disciple of T R Mahalingam
• S. Shashank, a child venuist prodigy who started to play the flute at the age of six years and give his first concert performance at the age of twelve years.
• Master Ambale Herambha & Ambale Hemantha(twin brothers), child prodigies who started to play flute at the age of seven years. Their first performance was at the age of ten years.

See also

• Bansuri: The bansuri from the Hindustani music tradition is a 7/8 holed flute. Lord Krishna was also known as Murali-dhara (one who is carrying Murali or flute) and Venu-gopala (Gopala playing the Venu) and the music from his flute was called as Venu Naadham.
• Carnatic Music
• Hindustani Music