Pungi: India musical instrument

The pungi is also called been or bin. The pungi is a wing musical instrument that is played by snake charmers in India and Pakistan. The musical instrument is made up of a mouth-blown air reservoir that is manufactured from a gourd, which directs air into two reed pipes. The musical instrument is played with no pauses, having the player of the instrument employing circular breathing while he is performing the instrument. The musical instrument originated in India and is still very much in use by snake charmers in street performances.

source of picture: musicdealers.com

The musical instrument was originally developed AS AN Indian b folk musical instrument, and is still crucial for religious function and music in India. The musical instrument was popular in the Badagutittu about 50 years ago. Meanwhile, before this time the instrument is derived from Indian folk music and was used for religious ceremonies for snake charming.

The pungi is originally manufactured from a dried bottle gourd. Normally, the neck of the musical instrument is carved for beauty reasons. On the other end of the instrument, two reed or bamboo pipes are attached. These are called Jivala. One of the pipes of the musical instrument has seven holes on it and performs the melody; the other pipe of the instrument is for the drone. The jivala is fixed to the gourd of the instrument with the use of beeswax that can be adjusted for pitch modification.

Indian musical practices usually accord with religious ideals. An example would be the complete practice of mantra incantation that can be defined syllable, which is used to produce prayer to a supernatural deity. The musical instrument is believed to be one of the numerous avenues or channels in which a person can communicate with the ancestors or gods through devotional genre.