odd flute and dacoit Veerappan

[Allen W Thrasher]

On the cover of Frontline, Nov. 24, 2000, the well known Tamil Nadu
bandit Veerappan is shown playing a vertical bamboo flute at least 4
feet long to my eye, with a breath tube about 40% of the visible
length from the bottom.  It also has fresh leaves pasted a two spots
on the tube. If this is a fipple flute (in the family with recorders,
penny whistles, etc.) the notch of the fipple is not visible.  Could
this mean the sound is produced by a reed single or double in the
breathpiece, or in the main tube where the breathpiece enters it?  Are
the leaves to change the tuning temporarily while one raga or another
is played, or are they corrections for misplaced holes, or are they to
produce a buzzing sound like a kazoo?

There is no discussion of Veerappan's musical talents in the article.
 I had not heard of them previously but I have not followed the
newsmagazines' accounts of him closely.

I will of course check the abundant printed works on Indian musical
instruments but would appeciate any comments.

Allen Thrasher