The sound of the Bansuri is the result of the art of shaping breath to give body and form to the rāga: “that which colours the mind”, the innumerable Indian melodic forms. The solo flute concert is characterised by various sound extemporisations based on the traditional practice of the free-time prelude (ālāp: “speech, conversation”) of some important rāgas associated with the early hours of the morning, such as Lalit, Bhāirav, and Toḍi. The relationship between melodic character and environment unfolds in the revealing of the present moment, in which one mirrors inner perceptions and listens to the instrument, the place, and the body within the fragrances of Hindustani music. The enveloping sound, rich in harmonics, of the tāṅpurā (an instrument that provides the drone) accompanies and enhances the timbre of the bāṅsurī (bamboo transverse flute). Some brief explanations about the repertoire and the poetic imagery of the flute within the Indian cultural context will facilitate listening.