Last santoor maker

THERE is some strange sense of mysticism to Siraj Bazaar in Srinagar. For almost seven decades, this has been my base, my work, my life and a manufacturing hub for Kashmir’s Sufi music instruments. On one side flows the Jhelum river, and on the other the historical Zainakadal, and tucked between them is this locality which is reminiscent of the glorious yesteryears of Kashmir’s rich folk music. For all these years, a small hall in the second floor of my house, right on the banks of the Jhelum, has been the hub of my work, dishing out instruments which made Kashmir’s musical instruments like santoor popular not just across the country, but also globally.

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It was indeed an emotional moment for me when I received a call from officials that I had been chosen for this year’s Padma Shri. At first, it seemed unbelievable. When it started to sink in, I did wonder if the recognition had come a trifle late. My eight generations have been into the making of santoor and other handcrafted musical instruments, but the recognition has come in now. However, as the saying goes, better late than never. At least the government has now decided to recognise the art associated with the creation of such beautiful instruments, and this should be welcomed.

This is not just a profession for me. Right since my teenage days, it has become a part of who I am and how important it is to preserve the rich Sufi cultural heritage. These instruments became a symbol of not just Sufi music, but also reminded us of our rich composite culture. In the earlier days, the downtown area of Srinagar city was a hub of musical activity. From almost every household, both belonging to Muslims as well as Kashmiri Pandits, music would emanate. Be it santoor, rabab or sitar, you would hear the soothing notes emerge from these mystical musical instruments. Children were encouraged to play these instruments, and the legacy was passed on from generation to generation.

From musical legends like Ustad Mohammad Abdullah Tibetbaqal to Sheikh Abdul Aziz to more contemporary artistes like Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma to Bhajan Sopori, the Sufi music that emerged presented a beautiful picture of what Kashmir’s composite culture was. In earlier days, artistes from both communities used to assemble and play these instruments. The magical tunes would take you to a different enchanting musical world. These small musical assemblies were so popular that these touched many generations.

The sobriquet of ‘the last santoor maker’ makes me a little sad. Though I haven’t been able to pass on this heritage to my children with three of my daughters into different professions, I am not a pessimist. I don’t call myself unfortunate for not having a son who could have taken the legacy of making musical instruments forward, but I consider it the will of Allah. None among my cousins, siblings, or their children learned this art, and I believe it was only meant for me. But I am hopeful that these instruments won’t die out.

They have moved beyond the boundaries of not just this state but the country as well. I would attribute the biggest factor for making santoor widely popular to maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. He not only popularised the instrument outside of the state but by introducing it to Bollywood, he gave it a huge push. The brilliant instrumentalist Bhajan Sopori, too, passed on this heritage to his children. I feel elated when I see santoor and other instruments like rabab being widely taken up in European countries like Germany. Even foreign tourists who come visiting Kashmir do drop in at Siraj Bazaar to see how these instruments are made. Over the years, I have dealt not only with domestic buyers but foreigners as well. Since they want some tweak to these instruments, we have the knowhow to do that.

The handcrafting of the instrument requires a lot of processing. Different types of wood is needed for making instruments like santoor, rabab or sitar. The quality of wood is assessed manually according to the instrument that is to be carved. In earlier times, unique and good quality raw materials were used for crafting the instrument. Some of these raw materials, which were used earlier and gave the instrument a different feel, are not available today. Materials like elephant tusks are banned these days.

It not just the shape of the instrument which is important, we also need to be mindful of the sounds that will be generated by the instruments. We have to ensure that the instrument sounds good, or else the player or the buyer will be left disappointed. A lot of sound testing goes into the processing, and no machines are used for this. Basically, it takes experience to ensure that the instruments are crafted in such a manner that they sound good. Sufi music is soulful, and if the instruments don’t have that element, the product or the instrument is lifeless.

I accept that the times have changed and more mechanically advanced instruments have taken over the handcrafted ones, but I am hopeful that these instruments will manage to stay on and become more and more popular. With age catching up, it is becoming difficult for me to churn out the instruments in large numbers but it’s the satisfaction that comes from the music that these instruments finally generate that keeps me going. I have high hopes for Kashmir’s Sufi music and these instruments will have wider acceptability not just across India, but globally.

— As told to Rohit Bhan