Perhaps no Indian wedding is complete without the sounds of the Shehnai permeating the wedding venue. Because of its auspicious quality, it's a must in every Indian wedding. Since ancient times, the Shehnai has been regarded as an auspicious instrument and featured in religious ceremonies.
The Shehnai is an integral part of the temple music of every part of India. The Shehnai found a place in every palace in every region of India, whether in a palace ,temple , or on the top of a fort.
The origin of this instrument is shrouded in controversy; it does not seem to be more than three-four centuries old. We see similar-looking instruments in ancient carvings and paintings, but it is in the 20th century that the instrument has attained concert level status , only because of the unparelled contributions of Bharat-Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan Saheb. Today it stands as a highly evolved instrument, eminently suited to Indian melodic raga music.