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A 78-year-old artisan named Ghulam Mohammad Zaz continues a family tradition of handcrafted Kashmiri Santoor making in a humble workshop infused with the scent of seasoned wood. Surrounded by tools that have outlived generations of craftspeople, he works meticulously, each strike and polish echoing a legacy that spans eight generations.
“Seven generations have worked in this craft, and I am the eighth. I can’t guarantee anyone after me will continue it,” Zaz quietly explains in Kashmiri.
Historically, his family members shared this skill in Srinagar, the main city of Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), within the Indian-occupied Himalayan region. Today, he stands as the last artisan in the city making the Santoor by hand.
“If I tell someone how to make something, they won’t know what to do or how to craft it,” Zaz notes, producing only about eight to ten instruments annually, each sold for approximately INR50,000 ($565). “It’s not just about selecting wood—finding the right type is crucial.”
The Santoor, a hundred-stringed, zither-like instrument played with hammers, has long been integral to Kashmir’s musical identity, giving the Muslim-majority region its distinctive cultural sound.
Mystical Music
Traditionally, the Santoor was the foundation of “sufiana musiqi,” Kashmir’s mystical music tradition, renowned for its hypnotic and calming tones.
“Musicians from Iran used to visit Kashmir, bringing the Santoor and other instruments with them,” says Muzaffar Bhat, a music professor at a government college in Anantnag. “They sang in Persian, and we adapted the Santoor into our own musical style.”
The instrument gained renewed prominence in the 1950s when renowned Indian musician Shivkumar Sharma, born in IIOJK in 1938, adopted it to perform classical music.
“Thanks to his influence, the Santoor became popular in Indian classical circles across the country,” Bhat explains.
However, as Western instruments and global music trends gained popularity, traditional Kashmiri instruments, including the Santoor, faced decline.
“For artisans like Zaz, this meant fewer customers, fewer students, and a slow erosion of a centuries-old family craft,” Bhat adds.
Zaz’s instruments are sold locally and internationally, with orders coming from Europe and the Middle East. Despite challenges, there is a glimmer of hope as a modest revival begins.
“In recent years, a new trend has emerged—our young people are starting to learn and play traditional instruments,” Bhat remarks.
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