Beginning to Play the Bansuri – Finger Position and Blowing
Slow breath, relaxed posture, and short, gentle practice sessions. Let the sound come rather than trying to force it. Consistency matters more than duration.
Starting the bansuri is less about force or complexity and more about subtle alignment, relaxation, and listening. In the beginning, two foundations matter above all else: how your fingers rest on the flute, and how you blow into it.
Finger position – learning to seal, not grip
In the lineage of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, the bansuri is held with softness and balance rather than tension. The pads of the fingers – not the fingertips – are used to cover the holes. The fingers lie relaxed and fairly flat, as if resting rather than pressing. This allows them to move freely later, to “dance” over the holes instead of clamping down on them.
A helpful way to orient your fingers is to count or describe them consistently, starting with the hand closest to the blowing hole. Quietly repeat to yourself:
“middle, middle, top”
This refers to: the middle pad of your index finger, the middle pad of your middle finger, the top pad (closest to the fingertip) of your ring finger. When you place the second hand on the flute, the same pattern repeats again:
middle, middle, top.
This simple internal cue helps prevent gripping and encourages a natural, even seal across the holes.
Next, the thumbs play a crucial role. They support the flute from below and help keep it steady. Along with the thumbs, the chin also contributes to stabilising the instrument. Your fingers themselves should never be used to hold up the flute – their only job is to seal the holes cleanly.
The little finger is not used in this style and does not need to touch the flute at all. The remaining fingers simply cover the holes, while the thumbs quietly do the supporting work.
One important detail often missed by beginners is finger creases. Avoid letting the lines or folds of your fingers sit over the holes. Even a tiny gap allows air to leak, resulting in a squeaky, unstable, or completely absent sound. If the hole is not fully sealed, the flute will immediately tell you.
Blowing – guided by listening
Blowing into the bansuri is not about blowing hard. It is about directing a focused stream of air across the blowing hole and making small, patient adjustments until the flute responds. Think of blowing gently into or across the top of a glass bottle, allowing the sound to appear rather than trying to force it.
Rather than covering this in detail through text alone, this aspect is best learned visually and aurally. I will be linking a short instructional video by Himanshu Nanda, disciple of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. His demonstration clearly shows the embouchure, angle, and breath approach in a way that writing cannot fully convey.
You can view the video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWWAgCjAQvI
For now, approach the flute gently. Relax your face, keep the breath soft and steady, and listen closely. Let the sound emerge rather than pushing for it. The bansuri rewards patience.
In the beginning, good finger seals and a calm, listening breath are far more important than notes, scales, or speed. Everything else grows naturally from these two simple foundations.