NEW DELHI, JUNE 23: 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 artists, the creative arts fraternity, and many prominent cultural organizations across the country. Esteemed 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, among others, joined the celebration. Celebrated a day after World Music Day, the World Santoor Day marks the birth anniversary of the saint-musician, Santoor legend, and composer, the late Pandit Bhajan Sopori, 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 performances by both young and established artists, who mesmerized Delhiites and guests in attendance. It commenced with international on-screen recitals: Guido Estrada from Argentina (accompanied by Demian Acierno on tabla) presented Raga Nirmalkauns; Mi Xuanye from China (with Zhuang Jing on tabla) performed Raga Yaman; and Luis Eduardo Vega from Colombia (with Javier Alarcón Guzmán on tabla) offered another dimension of Raga Yaman. This was followed by a Santoor ensemble in Raga Charukeshi, featuring Indian and international 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.
Next was a solo Santoor performance by Divyansh Srivastava from Delhi, a 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 a 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 in a special solo recital by Pandit Abhay Rustum Sopori, accompanied by Pt. Ram Kumar Mishra on tabla. Pt. Abhay Sopori delivered a soulful performance, immersing the audience in the essence of the Santoor and the Sopori Baaj, with Raga Sohni.
On the occasion, Prof. Aparna Sopori remarked, “World Santoor Day is more than a concert; it is a cultural movement.” She emphasized that 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 a historical legacy that predates similar instruments worldwide, the Santoor serves as a bridge between ancient Indian traditions and contemporary global music. Speaking about the event, Santoor maestro and music composer Pandit Abhay Rustum Sopori, the custodian and Khalifa of the 300-year-old Sopori Sufiana Gharana of Kashmir, 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 for 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, the USA, and various parts of India like Odisha,” he added.