The Sulur, Wind Flute of Chhattisgarh: A Musical Odyssey

The Gonds of Bastar, Chhattisgarh, are the creators of the wind flute, or sullur (in Gondi). It is 24 to 36 inches long and made of straight bamboo. It has three washers partially covering one end of it. When you blow through it, the most beautiful notes emerge. The Gonds do not blow into the flute; instead, they whirl it around briskly with one hand, releasing some of the most euphonic sounds into the air. All flutes, regardless of length, produce music when blown into, with the singular sulur.

The “pahadi baans,” or hillside bamboo, is the perfect bamboo for the flute. It must be straight and have a hole that extends to both ends. A single bamboo can be used to make two or three flutes. A portion of one end is enclosed. The antique copper pisa coins were the perfect washers to enclose. These days, the flute manufacturers employ three copper washers attached together to shut the mouth, leaving a quarter-inch diameter hole. This is because the coin is becoming harder to find and more valuable as an antique.

The flute, like anything manufactured by indigenous people, serves a purpose in addition to producing beautiful notes. In the dead of night, when the males go through the jungle, they constantly swirl the flute to scare off animals. The four-legged animals seem to have no trouble hearing the gentle song and staying clear thanks to their excellent sense of hearing. Along with the Gonds’ nomadic lifestyle, the melody produced by the flute aids in herding the cattle, particularly the goats, into one group.

With a population of more than 4 million, the Gond tribe is the largest in India and one of the more important ones. They are expected to be in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh. Actually, Konda, which means hill in Telugu, is where the name Gond originates. Originally farmers, they also harvest forest produce and practice herbal therapy.