Question

how was pungi converted into shennai

Answer 1

pungi was banned by Aurangzeb as he considered its sound very shrill and unpleasant. From then on pungi became the general name for reeded noise makers. A barber from a family of musicians decided to revive the tradition of the pungi. So he improved its tonal quality by taking a long hollow bamboo and made 7 holes on it. When wind was blowed through it by closing and opening different holes, it produced sweet melodious sounds. Since it was much different from the pungi thus it was given a new name. It was named Shehnai as it was played it the Shah's Durbar and it was played by a nai( barber)