[INDOLOGY] donation of silver flutes to Krishna?

[Allen Thrasher]

I am trying to get a collection of old and new Indian flutes and whistles in order preparatory to donating them to the Dayton Miller Collection of flutes at the Library of Congress.  Among them are several small silver flutes (transverse flutes, not fipple flutes, whistles).  I can get some sort of sound out of the largest with considerable effort, but the smaller ones seem too small even for a small child to play.  It occurs to me that they may have been made to be held by statues of Krishna and have gotten separated from their statues. On the other hand, could they have been votive offerings to a shrine, not intended either to be played or to be held by a statue?  I would appreciate hearing if there is such a custom in the vrata literature, or other literature or people's personal experiences.  
Thanks,
Allen


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