Alankaras For Bansuri Flute Learning

Alankara means ornaments or adornments. In the context of Indian classical Bansuri music, the application of an alankara is essentially to embellish or enhance the inherent beauty of the bansuri music.

Here are some essential Alankaras for Bansuri learning which are needed to get accustomed to playing the bansuri flute are given. These should be practiced to gain command over playing the bansuri flute. All Alankaras given here are provided with audio files, listen to them and practice accordingly. Please go through each of them and practice before you move on to the Ragas.

Bansuri Alankara I

 

An alankara of simple ascending and descending in Bansuri scale. Begins with all the holes open to all holes closed and vice versa. Please read horizontally.

M G R S .N .D .P
.P .D .N S R G M

An alankara which progresses in 4 notes at a time. Here there are two columns. Swaras in the first column are to be played first and then move to the second column. Please read horizontally then vertically in each column.

Arohana – Ascending

M G R S
G R S .N
R S .N .D
S .N .D .P

Arohana – Ascending

.P .D .N S
.D .N S R
.N S R G
S R G M

Bansuri Alankara II

 

An alankara which progresses in 4 notes at a time in simple movement. Here there are two columns. In the first column the alankara is ascending and in the second column it is descending. Please read horizontally then vertically in each column.

Arohana – Ascending

.P .D .N S
.D .N S R
.N S R G
S R G M
R G M P
G M P D
M P D N
P D N S’

Avarohana – Descending

S’ N D P
N D P M
D P M G
P M G R
M G R S
G R S .N
R S .N .D
S .N .D .P

An alankara which progresses in 4 notes at a time in an alternate movement. Here there are two columns. In the first column the alankar ascends and in the second column it descends. Please read horizontally then vertically in each column.

Arohana – Ascending

.P .N .D S
.D S .N R
.N R S G
S G R M
R M G P
G P M D
M D P N
P N D S’

Avarohana – Descending

S’ D N P
N P D M
D M P G
P G M R
M R G S
G S R .N
R .N S .D
S .D .N .P

Bansuri Alankara III

 

An alankara which progresses in 4 notes at a time in an alternate movement. Here there are two columns. In the first column the alankar ascends and in the second column it descends. Please read horizontally then vertically in each column.

Arohana – Ascending

.P .D .N .P .D .N S
.D .N S .D .N S R
.N S R .N S R G
S R G S R G M
R G M R G M P
G M P G M P D
M P D M P D N
P D N P D N S’

Avarohana – Descending

S’ N D S’ N D P
N D P N D P M
D P M D P M G
P M G P M G R
M G R M G R S
G R S G R S .N
R S .N R S .N .D
S .N .D S .N .D .P

An alankara which progresses in 4 notes at a time in an alternate movement. Here there are two columns. In the first column the alankar ascends and in the second column it descends. Please read horizontally then vertically in each column.

Arohana – Ascending

.P .N .D S .N R
.D S .N R S G
.N R S G R M
S G R M G P
R M G P M D
G P M D P N
M D P N D S’

Avarohana – Descending

S’ D N P D M
N P D M P G
D M P G M R
P G M R G S
M R G S R .N
G S R .N S .D
R .N S .D .N .P

Bansuri Alankara IV

 

An alankara which progresses in 6 notes at a time in simple movement with repetitive notes. When the notes repeat please tap the note below (or hole below) swiftly. For ex: While doing Sa Sa, we need to tap on the 4th hole i.e Ni note, While doing Dha Dha, we need to tap on the 6th hole i.e Pa note. Here there are two columns. In the first column the alankar ascends and in the second column it descends. Please read horizontally then vertically in each column.

Arohana – Ascending

.P .D .N .N S S
.D .N S S R R
.N S R R G G
S R G G M M
R G M M P P
G M P P D D
M P D D N N
P D N N S’ S’

Avarohana – Descending

S’ N D D P P
N D P P M M
D P M M G G
P M G G R R
M G R R S S
G R S S .N .N
R S .N .N .D .D
S .N .D .D .P .P

An alankara which progresses in 6 notes at a time in simple movement with repetitive notes. When the notes repeat please tap the note below (or hole below) swiftly. For ex: While doing Sa Sa, we need to tap on the 4th hole i.e Ni note, While doing Dha Dha, we need to tap on the 6th hole i.e Pa note. Here there are two columns. In the first column the alankar ascends and in the second column it descends. Please read horizontally then vertically in each column.

Arohana – Ascending

.P .D .D .N .N S
.D .N .N S S R
.N S S R R G
S R R G G M
R G G M M P
G M M P P D
M P P D D N
P D D N N S’

Avarohana – Descending

S’ N N D D P
N D D P P M
D P P M M G
P M M G G R
M G G R R S
G R R S S .N
R S S .N .N .D
S .N .N .D .D .P