Alghoza


Alghoza is a pair of woodwind instruments used by Baloch, Sindhi, Kutchi, Rajasthani and Punjabi folk musicians. It is also called Mattiyan, Jōrhi, Pāwā Jōrhī, Do Nālī, Donāl, Girāw, Satārā or Nagōze. It consists of two joined beak flutes, one for melody, the second for drone. The flutes are either tied together or may be held together loosely with the hands. A continuous flow of air is necessary as the player blows into the two flutes simultaneously. The quick recapturing of breath on each beat creates a bouncing, swinging rhythm. The wooden instrument initially comprised two flute pipes of the same length but over time, one of them was shortened for sound purposes. In the world of Alghoza playing, the two flute pipes are a couple — the longer one is the male and the shorter one the female instrument. With the use of beeswax, the instrument can be scaled to any tune.
It is an important instrument in Balochi, Sindhi, Punjabi and Rajasthani folk music. The greatest exponents of Alghoza, however, are the Sindhi musicians Ustad Khamiso Khan, Ustad Misri Khan Jamali and Akbar Khamiso Khan. Gurmeet Bawa is a notable Punjabi folk singer who uses the instrument.
Musa Gulamjat and Noor Mohammed Sodha are two well known Jodiya Pava artists from Kutch.