Shehnai

The shehnai, shahnai, shenai or mangal vadya (Hindi: शहनाई, Bengali: শানাই, Marathi: सनई) is a musical instrument similar to the oboe, common in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It is made out of wood, with a double reed at one end and metal or wooden flared bell at the other end. Its sound is thought to create and maintain a sense of auspiciousness and sanctity and, as a result, is widely used during marriages, processions and in temples although it is also played in concerts. The shehnai is similar to South India's nadaswaram.

Characteristics

This tubular instrument gradually broadens towards the lower end. It usually has between six and nine holes. It employs one set of quadruple reeds, making it a quadruple reed woodwind. By controlling the breath, various tunes can be played on it.

The shehnai has a range of two octaves, from the A below middle C to the A one line above the treble clef (A3 to A5 in scientific pitch notation).

Origin of the shehnai

The shehnai is thought to have been developed by improving upon the pungi (a woodwind folk instrument used primarily for snake charming).

Shehnai (1964 film)

Shehnai is a 1964 Indian Hindi family drama film directed by S. D. Narang. The film stars Biswajeet, Rajshree, Nirupa Roy, Leela Chitnis, Johnny Walker, Iftekhar and Asit Sen. The story was written by Gulshan Nanda with screenplay by Z. Hussain. The film's music was composed by Ravi. The songs "Na Jhatko Zulf Se Pani", "Kya Ajab Saaz Hai Yeh Shehnai", "Is Tarah Toda Mera Dil", "Kitni Jawan Hai Zindagi Kitni Jawan Bahaar" and others were written by Rajendra Krishan.The film is about a pilot’s widow who goes through hardship and loneliness in order to fulfil her husband’s last wish to make her son an Air Force pilot.

Plot

The story starts in 1942 against the backdrop of war. Shobha (Nirupa Roy) and Asha (Veena) are friends married to two pilot officers (Rehman and Iftekhar). Shobha is pregnant and her husband extracts a promise from her that if it’s a boy she will make him join the Air Force. The next morning the families have to vacate the Air Force station due to war activities. The two pilots are killed when their plane is hit during a mission. Shobha lives with her mother-in-law in Kashmir and gives birth to Deepak. The grandmother fusses over and spoils Deepak. Shobha has to finally send Deepak to a boarding school as he gets into bad company and plays truant from school. The mother-in-law dies leaving Shobha alone to fend for herself. Deepak (Biswajeet) grows up to be an excellent student with a promising future in business. Against his own wishes he joins the Air Force when his mother reminds him of the promise she had made to his father.

Shehnai (1947 film)

Shehnai is a 1947 Indian Bollywood film directed by P.L. Santoshi, starring Kishore Kumar, Indumati, Radhakrishan, V.H. Desai and Rehana. It was the fifth highest grossing Indian film of 1947. Santoshi went on make the classic, Barsaat Ki Raat (1960) starring Madhubala and Bharat Bhushan.

Cast

Soundtrack

Music of the film was given by C. Ramchandra and lyrics were by P. L. Santoshi.