Hi all,
I’m going to be in Delhi for a month till the end of June. Temperatures there go upto 112-115 F during the day and the humidity stays at around 55-60%.
I know that it would be insane to carry my wooden flute under those conditions, but I was wondering whether my Olwell bamboo (that I’m expecting soon) can handle that climate. Anyone have experience with this?
~nash
I’ve spent a lot of time in Delhi. The typcial Indian flute
is cane, and these do fine there, so the Olwell is
likely to survive. You should be able to buy bansuris
in Delhi, in fact; excellent music stores off Connaught
Circus. India is a good place for flutes.
Hopefully you’ll have AC? Not for the flutes,
but yourself. Good luck. Delhi can drive you
pretty crazy, but it’s a great place, too. Best
Thanks for the tip about music shops in CP Jim! I can feel the onset of a flu (Floa) already 
.
~nash
Yes, there is a lot of music played in Delhi,
lots of flute music, hence lots of cane flutes.
If you’re going only a month or so, you might
well take nothing and buy flutes there.
These are inexpensive, good, and simple system;
sometimes they’re even made of metal.
Lots of different pitches. I remember haunting these stores;
sometimes professional musicians would
come in and play. Have fun!
It’s perhaps good to say here that Hariprasad Chaurasia has built in India one of the world’s great independent flute traditions. You definitely want to check that out.
55to 60 relative humidity is considered the ideal for conservation , I believe . 110 is a bit hot , especially if you are thinking of busking .
It might be as well to be careful where you put a bamboo flute down , as it might take root quickly !
Yes, since I’ll be there for a month, I intend to take introductory lessons from an instructor in Hindustani music.
There’s no way I’m going busking in that kind of heat though! Heat strokes are alarmingly common at this time of the year there 
. And andrew, who’s going to put down the flute .
Then I would buy one there, personally.
Jim, do you remember anything more about the stores you visited? Names, more specific location etc?
We have to hope that no passing musical vet wants to put down the flautist !
more nonsense while I am away.
No, the tradition goes back thousands of years
in terms of folk music flute and since 1950’s as a classical instrumnet
due to to bansuri grand master Pannalal Ghosh.
Next time you meet Hariprasad backstage ask him who “built” what.
In the Carnatic tradition (South Indian) bamboo flute as a classical instrument has a longer history.
nashradus,
make sure to take a little tuner with you.
some, even very good professional flutes,
can be in between pitches
like
6 finger note may be between D# and Eb (example only).
Jims given good advice regarding Connaught Circus locale.
You might like to get out of Delhi and go mountain places.
Dehra Dun may be a place where some of the Delhi availed flutes come from.
This is what I would do.
Buy 4 now.
Yes, but H.C. derived his playing style from singing forms, not from the older fluting tradition. In this sense, he reinvented it. When i wrote my post, i chose to emphasize the enormity of H.C.'s contribution to the flute world. When i think of Indian flute music, i think of H.C., not of the older tradition. Is this nonsense?
Of course H.C. didn’t invent the bansuri. Even i am not stupid enough to say that.
Be nice.
g
the whole tradition is vocal based.
The older fluting tradition is vocal based.
All the instrumentation is vocal based. See.
Check it out.
Even a flute playing teaCHER WILL SING THE LESSON
WITH VOICE.
There was no “older” CLASSICAL bansuri tradition prior to Pannalal Ghosh.
Folk bansuri yes. Classical no.
Hari Prasad Ji comes after Pannalal and is indebted to him
impliedly and expressly.
Nashradus,
you may interested in this series
of American links for bansuri
Despite extant info (even on the internet) to the contrary you are brash
enough to assert that “Hariprasad Chaurasia has built in India one of the world’s great independent flute traditions”.
This is akin to a statement like “Eddie Cahill has built in Ireland one of the world’s great independent flute traditions”.
Be kind.
Okay Tala-man, i’m sorry you have chosen to present yourself as an arrogant bully with no conversation skills. You’re only hurting yourself.
I really like Indian flute music very much, but i don’t like your attitude. Bye for now.
g 
If FACTS make me arrogant
goodness knows what TACT may do !
In this topic I have given facts.
I have described your claims as nonsensical and brash
but I never attacked your person
as you have done me.
I only critisized your claims.
The web link I have provided
clearly shows that Pannalal Ghosh who preceded Hariprasad Chaurasia
was responsible for elevating the traditional folk bamboo flute
to classical status.
Other related links will show that the instrumental traditions in India
are all rooted in the vocal traditions,
and even Pannalal took instruction from vocal artistes.
The link also potentially serves Nashradus
because it gives info. on professional quality
bansuris made and obtainable in the US
from people steeped in the bansuri tradition.
Sometimes it is better to chase
the wild goose in one’s own backyard
than under the seering sun in a foreign land.
Jeff Whittier makes a range of flutes
including in the styles used by your hero HC
as well as grand master Pannalal Ghosh
and also Sachdev.
I haven’t got one yet but I am seriously considering
a little A key with pinkie.