Hi, I'm going to Vrindavan in the next 5 days, and I was planning on buying a bansuri there. I play tabla, and harmonium, so i know what i'm looking for when i go to buy these instruments, but as for the bansuri, i don't have the slightest clue. I know that the larger one's produce the beautiful airy lower notes. Can anyone help me? how much should i be paying? is there anything in particular i should specify to the music store? what kind should i get?. .etc. Does anyone know of any special stores in Vrindavan in particular (not in other parts of India, just Vrindavan)? Thank you very much.
Hi,
Have a great time in Bruj and don't waste any of it trying to find
a bansuri. I know Vrindavan very very well. There are a handful of places to by Shri Khol of good quality but all the other musical instruments available in Vrindavan are pure junk. The dealers there don't know squat about musical instruments. They have no love for music. They are are all there strictly for the purpose of ripping off all the Westerners that belong to ISKON. It's one of "Inverse Proportion Rules" of traveling in India. The holier the place - the more crowded it is with touts and greedy merchants, Benares being the worst of all the cities in that regard. There are a few good places in Delhi - only two and a half hours away. One is Harsh Wardhan. http://bansuri-shop.wardhan.com/Address.php
Harsh's stuff is quite pricey but if you want the best around - he's the guy to see. If you don't want to go for the big bucks at Harsh's shop - then go see Inni Singh at DMS in Old Delhi: http://www.indianmusicalinstruments.com/
Inni can hook you up with very nice quality flutes by Nabi that are quite economical. Tell him you were recommended by Keshav Das. (No - I don't get a piece of the action) I like to recommend him because he's always done right by me.
Good Luck,
Keshav Das
