Shivkumar Sharma: a sound of spirituality from the Valley

Over the years, santoor and Shivkumar Sharma had became synonymous.

Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, the maestro who etched an image of the Kashmir Valley and a sound of spirituality every time he struck a chord on his santoor, transcended for a divine concert on Tuesday.

A symbol of the Shaivite and Sufi tradition of Jammu & Kashmir, the Padma Vibhushan toiled to make the folk instrument acceptable on the classical firmament. When critics said santoor was not fit for the meends and gamaks, Sharma made it possible through his striker, without indulging in any fancy experiments. A master of both ragdaari and riyaz, his solo concerts drew crowds and his discs broke records. Over the years, santoor and Shivkumar Sharma became synonymous.

If his charismatic persona raised the heartbeats, his sublime santoor invariably soothed the frayed nerves of the city dwellers. He would etch images of the breeze caressing the grass in the valley, of flocks of sheep grazing, and a shepherd meeting a young girl in the shikara, all on his modest instrument that is said to have emerged from Shahtha Tanti Veena and later came under the spell of Sufi music.

Born in Jammu to musician Uma Dutt Sharma, who worked in All India Radio, Sharma started as a tabla player but his father wanted him to take up santoor and realise its potential.

An introvert, santoor suited Sharma because of its soft, spiritual appeal that doesn’t seek attention. He had the rare ability to separate the man from the artist and perhaps that is why he could critique his performance, even when he was playing on stage. Claps never mattered to him as once his santoor was tuned for the evening, Sharma would become one with himself. He would often say, an artist should become a drashta (onlooker) on stage and would advise the audience to listen and not applaud for the stature of the artist.

Though he could invoke all the ragas, Sharma’s favourites were those that evoked romance and its pathos, like Jhinjoti. Perhaps, that’s why filmmaker Yash Chopra turned to him and flutist Hariprasad Chaurasiya for composing music when he made a shift from action to romantic films.

From Silsila to Darr, the duo tuned a young India to the idea of love and separation, never hurting the sentiments of the purists, seldom leaving the commoner out of their canvas. Be it “Dekha Ek Khwab” or “Jadoo Teri Nazar”, the tune is enough to make the hearts go aflutter. Their folk compositions like “Rang Barse” and “Mere Haatho Main” continue to be in great demand during festivals and weddings.