GOOD BYE PANDIT BHAJAN. SOPORI

                                                

Bhajan Sopori..(1948-2022)

I feel sad to know that Bhajan Ji , the well known Santoor  maestro is no more. Sometime back my friend , Jugal Kaul wanted to host him for his show' Sheetalnath Conversations' and inspite of being unwell, Bhajan Ji agreed to join but unfortunately, at the last moment he had to be hospitalized due to some medical emergency. 

Kashmir and anything connected with Kashmir remained close to his heart. I saw him last in Jammu when he joined 'Udhyamo Bhairava' festival held at Abhinav theatre .For that festival, he played his own created ' Raag Lalleshwari ' on Santoor . It was an amazing performance. He has created two more new Ragas (Patwanti and Nirmal Ranjani ) and made Hindustani classical music richer by three new Ragas that he added. 

Not many of us know that Bhajan Ji was a postgraduate in English apart from getting training in western classical music from Washington University.

As music in charge of Radio Kashmir Srinagar, Bhajan Ji revolutionised the Kashmiri music by adding Indian classical instrumentation while retaining the soul and sweetness of age-old style . These songs attained enormous popularity in the entire length and breadth of the Kashmir valley. Popularity also visited Shameema Dev, Kailash Mehra, Vijay Malla, Aarti Tikoo Kaul, Ghulam Nabi Sheikh and many more singers who sang these songs. Unfortunately , some of the music that he created for the posterity has been destroyed by vandals. That in no way belittles his contribution. Those who know music know his contribution.To many in the valley, he taught the 

amazing dimensions of the music that a Santoor could create. 

                                           

                        ( With Birju Maharaj )

Bhajan Ji belonged to a well known music Gharana from Kashmir; 'the Sopori ' . His grandfather and father, did establish themselves as musicians of name and fame. His father, Pandit Shambhoo Nath Sopori taught music to more than three generations in Kashmir and almost every singer or musician from Kashmir has learnt something from the Sopori Gharana. With more than four thousand songs that he set to tune ,Bhajan Ji was awarded Padamshri and the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi award. I am told that he even set tunes for some Arabic songs . He also established SaMaPa (Sopori Academy for Music and Performing Arts), which is actively involved in promoting Indian classical music.

He was humble, simple, honest to the core. Bhajan Ji was helpful to one and all.He helped many persons without ever talking about it. It was easy to meet him anytime at any place . Not only the doors of his house but his heart and mind were both open to any visitor . Exile and violence in his valley had disturbed him. He felt pained to see the plight of his community after being driven out from the land of their ancestors . He was always ready to put in his contribution in any shape and manner to see peace and Pandits returning to his valley 

Today Santoor is orphaned. Bhajan Ji hurried to join Shiv Kumar Sharma possibly to play music to the celestial connoisseurs up above in their Swarg-Dhaam .The world of music , his family and friends shall miss him. They will surely miss him for a long-time.

My heartfelt condolences to his family .  

Saara aalam goshe bar awaaz hai

Aaj kin haathon mein dil ka saaz hai

Chhup gaye vo saaz e hasti chhed kar

Ab to bus awaaz hi awaaz hai...

( Avtar Mota)

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