Documentary on #Saaznawaz Gharana, who are keeping legacy of #SufianaMusic alive in #Kashmir

#SaaznwazGharana a family in the Downtown area of Srinagar is safeguarding Kashmiri Sufiana music and the eighth generation remains well connected to its roots. Story by Irfan Yattoo Kashmir is one of the few regions of India which has a distinct regional classical music tradition along with a rich repertoire of folk and modern light music. The classical music of Kashmir is known as Sufiana Mausiqi. This music is taught orally and passed on from one generation to another. Mushtaq Ahmad Saaznawaz, who belongs to 7th generation of the Saaznawaz family from Danamazar Safakadal said during the Mughal period, their family ancestor Muhammad Sultan Saaznawaz had migrated to Kashmir. “That time, our family used to perform in public meetings of Mughal kings. Till date, we are keeping this trend alive. We have kept the music the same as trained by our ancestors. There is no change at all,” he said. Mushtaq who has earned his title Ustad received early training from his father, a Padma shri award winner Ustad Ghulam Mohammad Saaznawaz. He gained ample experience in playing all the instruments used in Sufiyana music especially Saz-e-Kashmir which is the essential instrument used in Sufiyana music. In 2021, he attained grade-A in the field of Sufiyana music. Ghulam Muhammad Saznawaz was a great Sufiyana music maestro who was conferred with lifetime awards including Padma Shri and Sher-e-Kashmir awards. He was the first Kashmiri Sufiyana musician to receive the award. He died in February 2015. Mushtaq believes that music brings love into the air and makes people feel more connected and creates memories that will last for a lifetime. “Sufi music has the capacity to cure ailments of the heart and head. It is the simple way to realize Allah,” he said “We are training our children now so that they continue this family legacy to the next generation. We have kept it the same as we learned from our ancestors,” said Mushtaq. He has participated in hundreds of musical programs organized by Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar, All India Radio, J&K Academy of Art Culture and Languages, and Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi. Apart from regional and local media, Mushtaq has performed in the music festival Jashn-e-Aman in New Delhi through the Department of Information and Public Relations. Over the past several years, he said, there has been no change except in Iranian content that is being replaced with Kashmir poetry in a similar way as he has learned. To keep the traditional old music alive, some artists have started training youths by setting up their own institutions where they provide free-of-cost training. The family runs Saaznawaz Training Institute which provides free training to students and musical instruments and food to students who want to learn Sufiana music. The institute has enrolled more than a dozen students including children from their own family who they believe would carry forward the legacy. Sufiana music has Maqam like Ragas in Indian Classical Music. There are 12 Maqams in Sufiana music which are divided into 2 branches which further get divided and becomes 160 Maqams. Shabir Ahmad Shaznawaz (title Ustad), brother of Mushtaq, believes that Sufiana music is an integral part of the rich cultural and musical heritage of Kashmir. “Over the past several decades, there are not many practitioners of the art form anymore," he said. Shabir received early training through his father Ustad Ghulam Mohammad Saaznawaz and is capable of playing all the instruments used in this music, especially Santoor. He has also been conferred with Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Purskar in the year 2008-09 and Ustad Shaikh Abdul Aziz Memorial award 2012 for young and promising artists. In 2010, he received the Shashrang award from Kashmir Music Club. “In 2015, we got success for Sufiana music in the Valley as the Sufiana Santoor Department was introduced at the University of Kashmir, where students are learning and getting trained,” he said. “Unfortunately, after completing their degrees and proper training at the department, there is no scope for those students or any job at the government level,” Shabir said.