Hindustani flute workshop in Kochi by Digvijaysinh Chauhan guided participants through techniques, ragas, ornamentation, improvisation, and concert performances.
Attending the recent five-day bansuri workshop in Kochi was an unforgettable experience. Held in January this year, it was an opportunity to immerse myself in Hindustani classical music and learn from none other than Digvijaysinh Chauhan, a senior disciple of the legendary Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. As an aspiring flutist, I couldn’t have asked for a better environment to deepen my understanding of this intricate art form. The five-day workshop was divided into three sections: introductory for beginners, intermediate for teaching essential techniques, and advanced for teaching raga structure and concert performance skills.
Chauhan trained under Pandit Chaurasia at the Vrindavan Gurukul in Bhubaneswar and is known for his command of the dhrupad style. Chaurasia was the first person to introduce this system in flute. Like his guru, Chauhan’s approach to teaching was both methodical and inspiring, breaking down complex concepts into digestible lessons while always encouraging us to feel the music rather than just play the notes.
A structured learning experience
The classes begin with how to hold the flute correctly and how to blow. From getting the fundamentals right—posture, breath control, and the essential techniques of blowing and fingering, palta (pattern exercises), meend (gliding between notes), ghamak (delicate oscillations), different strokes, tonguing techniques ornamentation techniques—kan (grace note), khatka (quick flourish), murki (short trill), and zamzama (fast oscillation), to deeper concepts like how to expand a raga through swara-vistar (note elaboration), allowing for personal expression while staying within its structure, the four stages of the dhrupad style—alap (slow, free-form introduction), jod (rhythmic progression), jhala (faster section), and composition, the workshop demonstrated all them in detail.
Tonguing technique developed by Chaurasia, involves using the tongue to strike the lips, momentarily blocking the flow of air into the bansuri and give more thrust to the first note. Previously, this was performed only on stringed instruments like the sitar and sarod. Enhancing the swara’s clarity and distinctiveness, tonguing becomes a useful ornamentation to highlight notes at high speeds and create intricate jod and jhalla elements during rhythmic improvisation.
Rhythm was another key focus. We explored taal structures, learning how to identify and maintain rhythm while playing. The concept of “sum”—the first beat of a rhythmic cycle—was explained beautifully through live demonstrations, showing us how a bansuri player synchronises with accompanying artists.
Chauhan also introduced us to various ragas, explaining their structures, emotional depth, and the time of day (prahar) they are associated with. Understanding how different swaras combine to create a raga was a revelation. We explored ragas like Bhupali, Yaman, Hamsadhwani, Durga, Brindavani Sarang, Shivaranjani, Pilu, Ahir Bhairav, and Bhairav. Each had its own distinct character, and it was thrilling to see how they could evoke different moods and emotions.
My personal experience with the E-Base flute
As someone who had never played an E-base flute before, I was apprehensive at first. This particular bansuri, about 30 inches in length, produces a deep and resonant tone, making it a favourite for classical music. Under Chauhan’s guidance, we learned to hold it in the shehnai-style grip for better control and endurance. One of the most enlightening moments for me was realising that the bansuri has only one and a half octaves, unlike other instruments that span three or four.
Each evening, we were treated to mesmerizing concerts where Chauhan performed alongside local artists. The first concert took place on at Big Violin Shop, Tripunithura, followed by another on at Ala Centre for Culture & Alternate Education, Mulanthuruthy, where he was accompanied by tabla artist Rathnasree Iyer. The final concert a special jugalbandi between bansuri and mridangam, featuring the renowned mridangam artist Ayamkudy Prasanth. Being able to watch a master perform live, after spending hours practising under his guidance, was the perfect way to tie everything together. Seeing how all the techniques we learned came to life in his performance was an eye-opening experience.
