The Shehnai: The Auspicious Musical Instrument

The Shehnai is a woodwind instrument.

• It is a hollow tube, usually made of wood, that widens towards the lower end (like a bell).
• It typically has six to nine holes along the pipe.
• The player blows air through a 'double reed' attached to the top, while using their fingers to open and close the holes to create different musical notes.

According to popular legend, the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of a noisy, shrill instrument called the Pungi. A barber (Nai) belonging to a family of musicians decided to improve it. He chose a hollow stem, made holes in it, and played it. Because it was first played in the Shah's (Emperor's) chambers by a Nai (barber), the beautiful new instrument was named the Shah-nai (Shehnai).

For centuries, the Shehnai was only played in temples and at weddings. It was the legendary maestro, Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, who single-handedly brought the Shehnai to the classical music stage and made it famous worldwide. He famously played the Shehnai at the Red Fort on August 15, 1947, to welcome India's independence.