The santoor was brought to Kashmir by the Persians, at the time of poet Shah-e-Hamdan, along with other art forms such as wood carving, shawls and papier-mache. The floor of Zaz’s workshop is covered with dust and iron tools, and there is a rabab and a santoor in the making. About the wood for the santoor, Zaz says, “The wood speaks to me. The wood must be kept to dry for at least four years to get that tonal quality. Sharma’s father (Uma Dutt Sharma) used to experiment with different versions of the santoor, along with Zaz’s ancestors.

Source: Indian Express January 08, 2019 18:56 UTC