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Shehnai

The shehnai belongs to the woodwind family of instruments. It has double reeds to produce that characteristic vibrating sound. It is played with the fleshy parts of the fingers rather than the tips of the fingers. The shehnai is capable of producing a sound very similar to the human voice. The outer body of the shehnai is made of wood with a metal bell at the tip of the instrument. It has a pitch range of two octaves. The melody of shehnai forms an integral part of music at Indian marriages. The shehnai is about 20 inches long.