Haridwar Flute Circle

by azimvth, posted in Music

Haridwar Flute Circle is listed at World Flute Society, a 501(c)(3) organisation at Virginia, USA. Some other details are –

Haridwar Flute Circle
AZIMVTH Ashram
365 Arya Nagar Jwalapur, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, 249407
E-mail: AZIMVTH@gmail.com
Web site: http://www.azimvth.org
Flute Circle Focus: Bansuri and conch
Note: Any Indian instrument played by a non-Indian is also welcome!

90% of the 145 flute circles are in the USA with the ‘Haridwar Flute Circle’ being the only one from India.

The World Flute Society is a dynamic and welcoming organization designed to be positive in approach, inclusive in nature, and musically and culturally beneficial to all world flutists, flute makers, and enthusiasts, regardless of playing level, music background, heritage, experience, or perspective.

1 krishna playing flute todai ji japanBansuri, the wooden flute, is associated with Lord Krishna, the last Avatar of Vishnu, one of the Trinity. This image (Credits: WikiDas) is from the Toda-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan. It shows Lord Krishna playing flute. The temple is a UNESCO Heritage Site. It contains world’s largest bronze statue of Buddha. In 751 AD, the construction of the temple was completed and Indian monk Bodhisena performed the eye-opening (consecration) ceremony while 10 thousand monks and 4000 dancers were in attendance. The project almost caused Japanese economy to go bankrupt. Bodhisena was born in Madurai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Emperor Shōmu invited him to visit Japan and spread the Sanskrit language there.

Krishna played various kinds of flutes as mentioned below – 2 krishna playing conch vmfa

  • Venu: not more than six inches long, with six holes
  • Murali: about eighteen inches long with a hole at the end and four holes on the body of the flute.
  • Vamsi: about fifteen inches long, with nine holes
  • Mahananda: longer Vamsi
  • Sammohini: Mahananda made of jewels
  • Akarsini: longer than Mahananda, made of gold
  • Anandini: longer than Akarsini

Panchjanya: Krishna also played conch the name for which was ‘Panchjanya’. (Image – Krishna and Arjuna Playing Conches – a scene from Bhagvat Gita or The ‘Song of the God’. 1763 Jnandeva / Jnaneshvari. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts)

orchestra divine - editedIn 1994, UNESCO supported in organising the international music festival ‘The Great Music Experience’ at Todai-ji.

At AZIMVTH Ashram, flutes and conches are played as a form of prayer / devotion. Damru and Dholak are drums and a Ghanti is a hand held bell.

Two of the recent artists-in-residence had eventful residencies at AZIMVTH recently. Some information is at the links given below.

Songs to Fauna of the Hills
Nicolaj Wamberg (Denmark)

Musical Collaboration With the Holy
Brett Goldstein (USA)