It continues to be in use in the South Indian Carnatic music tradition In Northern Indian music, a similar flute is called bansuri In the South, it is also called by various other names such as pullankuzhal in Tamil, in Malayalam, and (koḷalu) in Kannada. It is known as pillana grōvi (పిల్లన గ్రోవి) or Vēṇuvu (వేణువు) in Telugu
The venu is discussed as an important musical instrument in the Natya Shasta, the classic Hindu text on music and performance arts the ancient Sanskrit texts of India describe other side blown flutes such as the murali and vamsika, but sometimes these terms are used interchangeably. A venu has six holes, is about the thickness of a thumb, and twelve fingers long. A longer mural has four holes and two hands longs. The vamsika has eight holes, between twelve and seventeen fingers long.
A venu is a part of the iconography of Hindu god Krishna.
One of the oldest musical instruments of India, the instrument is a key-less transverse flute made of bamboo. The fingers of both hands are used to close and open the holes. It has a blowing hole near one end, and eight closely placed finger holes. The instrument comes in various sizes. The Venu is also a highly respected instrument and those who play it are expected to appreciate it, for it is considered a gift to be able to play it.
The Venu is capable of producing two and half octaves with the help of over-blowing and cross fingering. The flute is like the human voice in that it is monophonous and also has a typical two and half octave sound reproduction. Sliding the fingers on and off the holes allows for production of variety of Gamakas, important in the performance of raga-based music.
