Sahnai

Sahnai (also sanai, shahnai, shehnai), Indian double-reeded wind instrument (see Musical Instruments: Single and Double Reeds) similar to the Western oboe. The name sahnai is of Persian origin (Persian, sah,”king”; nai,”wind instrument”), and some theorize that the instrument may have been taken to India from Persia by the Mughals, a tribe of Mongolian origin, which occupied much of northern India from the 16th century to the 18th century. Others believe the sahnai may have developed from an earlier Indian instrument.

The sahnai has a wooden tubular body of about 45 to 60 cm (1.5 to 2 ft) in length, backed by metal, ending in a wider bell shape. Of its eight or nine holes, only seven are used for playing; the others are left open or are closed with wax to define the pitch of the instrument. The method of playing the sahnai is complex and strenuous, involving the partial closing of the holes to create semitones and quartertones, and requiring considerable lung capacity and breath control.

The sahnai produces a rich, expressive sound, with the characteristic timbre of the reed. It is considered to be an auspicious instrument and is used in celebrations and festivals, particularly at weddings. It is often paired with a shruti, a sahnai with several closed holes, with the shruti supplying a drone (a continuous accompanying tone) at a suitable pitch.

Closely related to the sahnai is the nagasvaram of South India, which is also double-reeded but longer at 60 to 76 cm (2 to 2.5 ft). The nagasvaram has 12 holes, of which 7 are used for playing, and the body ends in a metal bell. It produces a higher-pitched, sharper sound than the sahnai, and is usually only performed outdoors. Also considered auspicious, the nagasvaram is frequently played at temple festivals and processions, and on ceremonial occasions.