VER wondered how sweet and melancholic notes spring forth when one blows into a bamboo reed? That's the magic of the flute. The beauty of the magic conjured depends on the flautist as well as the 'karigar' or the flute-maker.
For a start, the bamboo is of a special variety, called cinchor or bass bamboo, which is grown only in the interior forests of Assam. The greencoloured bamboo tree has to be three to four years old before it can be chopped and fashioned into a flute. But before this the first three nodes of the bamboo are discarded as they are considered too thin. From the remaining only straight pieces of internodes are selected. Which is why one can harvest only three, at the most four flutes.
Sun-dried bamboo pieces are applied with anti-termite powder from inside to outside to make the piece termite resistant.The smeared bamboo pieces are allowed to mature for years - the older the piece, the better the flute turns out to be. Depending on the demand for a particular pitch, the length of bamboo is selected. For instance, the longer pieces are for low pitch flutes and the shorter ones for high pitch.
Importance of Maintaining the Flute : Since the flute is made of Bamboo reed, nature has its effects on it from time to time. The principle of expansion and contraction can be seen on the bamboo in different temperatures mainly summer and winter. Thereby it becomes very important to take care of your Bansuri/Flute regularly to prevent cracking and give it a long life.
How to maintain the flute : Use Tilraj Oil, Sesame Oil or Olive Oil to clean the flute. Add four to five drops of any of these oils on cotton or any cloth and rub it on to the flute from all sides.Keep rubbing the oil for a few minutes without applying too much pressure on the flute till the oil gets absorbed. This process of cleaning the flute has to be followed only for the outside of the flute. Clean the flute inside with a normal cloth or cotton but make sure that you dont apply oil inside the flute.
Shri. Anand Dhotre's flutes are recognised by his sign 
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Mr. Anand has started making Flutes from his childhood under the guidance of his father. After the death of his father, he continued in the Flute making business. Now he is preparing World Class Flutes. His recent Flute shop is in Dadar. Mr. Anand is one of the few finest Flute makers whose list of clients include flute maestros like Ronu Majumdar, Arvind Ganjendragadkar, Naresh Kumta and Keshav Ginde among others. Now Mr. Anand is introducing modern way of buying Flutes online. It is a good news for his clients in India and abroad. Flutes of all scales are available here. Flutes are categorised by different scales giving simplicity for buyers to reach his desired flute.
"Mr. Anand Dhotre - One of the best Flute makers. Anand goes into finer details of Tuning Bansuri and loves to make the instrument as perfect as possible." - Pt. Ronu Majumdar
"The flutes made by Shri. Anand Dhotre are appreciated, recognised and played by many noted flutists in India and abroad." - Pt. Keshav Ginde.
Flue making business initiated by late Shri. Ramachandra Dhotre is continued by his son Shri. Anand Dhotre. He has been goaded by Pt. Ronu Majumdar to take up flute-making as a full-time profession. In the initial days Ronuda visited his home, sat under a tree and instructed him on the techniques of getting the perfect instrument till he was able to get the right touch. Now his efforts are rewarded by so many talented flutists. Mr. Anand has stood firmly as one of the finest flute maker.
