Celebration of the historical and cultural significance of the Santoor at 2nd ‘World Santoor Day’ in Delhi

•  SaMaPa celebrated the day with performances by young & eminent Santoor players
• Global musical tribute to Kashmir’s iconic instrumentalist and Santoor legend Pt. Bhajan Sopori

NEW DELHI; The second edition of the World Santoor Day was organised by SaMaPa (Sopori Academy for Music and Performing Arts) at Chinmaya Mission Auditorium in the capital. The first ‘World Santoor Day’ was celebrated last year in 2024 by the artist and the creative arts fraternity and many prominent cultural organizations of the country together like legends like Composer AR Rahman, Bhajan Samrat Anup Jalota, Singer Kailash Kher, Mohan Veena exponent Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt, TV personality Siddharth Kak, Musicologists Pt. Vijay Shankar Mishra and Pt. Ravindra Misra, and others.

Celebrated a day after the World Music Day, the World Santoor Day marks the Birth Anniversary of the Saint – Musician, Santoor legend & composer, late Pandit Bhajan Sopori, who is revered as the ‘Saint of Santoor’ and the ‘King of Strings’. The initiative highlights the spiritual and historical depth of the Santoor, especially its roots in Kashmir Shaivism.

The evening featured the performances of young and established artists, who mesmerized the Delhiites and others present. It commenced with an on-screen international recitals by Guido Estrada from Argentina accompanied by Demian Acierno on Tabla presenting Raga Nirmalkauns, Mi Xuanye from China accompanied by Zhuang Jing on Tabla presenting Raga Yaman, and Luis Eduardo Vega from Colombia, accompanied by Javier Alarcón Guzmán on Tabla presenting another dimension of Raga Yaman. It was followed by a Santoor ensemble in Raga Charukeshi by Indian and international artists and disciples of Pt. Abhay Rustum Sopori, including Daniel Aakash Brunner from Germany, Suman Patra from Finland, and Indian performers Anoushka Majumdar, Poushali Dutta, and Nairanjana Radhika from Delhi, along with Dheeraj Vaishnav from Rajasthan. The artists were accompanied on Jodi Pakhawaj and Tabla by Chanchal Singh.

This was followed by Solo Santoor performance by Divyansh Srivastava from Delhi, an able disciple of Pt. Bhajan Sopori and Pt. Abhay Sopori, accompanied on Tabla by Anand Mishra and Chanchal Singh presenting Raga Megh. This was followed by Santoor duet recital by Vidushi Shruti Adhikari and her talented son Ninad Adhikari from Madhya Pradesh, accompanied by Pt. Durjay Bhaumik on Tabla presenting Raga Madhukauns. The 2nd World Santoor Day culminated with yet another special solo recital by Pandit Abhay Rustum Sopori accompanied by Pt. Ram Kumar Mishra on Tabla. Pt. Abhay Sopori gave a soulful performance and immersed the audience in the essence of Santoor and Sopori Baaj in Raga Sohni.

On the occasion, Prof. Aparna Sopori said that World Santoor Day is more than a concert; it is a cultural movement. The initiative seeks to reposition the Kashmiri Santoor, the 100 stringed Shatatantri Veena of Kashmir, as a symbol of India’s spiritual, musical, and philosophical heritage. With historical significance that predates similar instruments across the world, the Santoor serves as a bridge between ancient Indian traditions and contemporary global music.

Speaking about the event, Santoor maestro and music composer, and the custodian and Khalifa of the 300-year-old Santoor tradition of India – the Sopori Sufiana Gharana of Kashmir, Pandit Abhay Rustum Sopori said, “Today we celebrated the second World Santoor Day on the occasion of the 77th birth anniversary of the great Santoor legend Pandit Bhajan Sopori ji. Musicians from across the world have gathered to pay their musical tribute to this great Santoor maestro.

It’s a day of all Santoor players of all styles both in India and abroad. More than a dozen Santoor players have performed in this year’s event, with World Santoor Day sessions also being held in countries like Argentina, Colombia, China, USA etc. and various parts of India like Odisha, Abhay added." The 2^nd World Santoor Day was witnessed by a full house auditorium with who’s who of the capital including a galaxy of musicians.