--- url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-pk/instrument/santoor' title: Santoor author: name: rajeevk url: 'https://kalasudha.com/en-pk/user/4add8741a490747f' date: '2026-06-20T21:08:46+00:00' updated: '2026-11-06T00:29:11+00:00' type: product summary: 'The santoor is a Kashmiri hammered dulcimer of about 100 strings on 25 bridges. Shivkumar Sharma and Bhajan Sopori took it from Sufiana Mausiqi to the…' tags: - Chordophones - Santoor image: 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/2026-09/santoor-instrument.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=1oN3loMT' published: true og: site_name: KalaSudha 'image:url': 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/2026-09/santoor-instrument.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=1oN3loMT' 'image:secure_url': 'https://files.kalasudha.com/styles/d12_standard/public/2026-09/santoor-instrument.jpg?h=d1cb525d&itok=1oN3loMT' 'image:type': image/jpeg 'image:width': '1200' 'image:height': '675' 'image:alt': 'Santoor, Indian string instrument' --- Hindustani instrument · Hammered dulcimer # Santoorसंतूर A santoor is a hammered dulcimer from Kashmir with about a hundred strings, struck with two light wooden mallets. [Ask for a quote](/en-pk/form/custom-instrument-quote?instrument_id=361) [Learn the santoor ](#learn) ## Buy from KalaSudha £1,000 to £5,000 - Sold by quote or made to order - Packed for shipping and delivered worldwide - Serviced and repaired by us, wherever you bought it FamilyHammered dulcimer StringsAbout 100 on 25 bridges Played withTwo light wooden mallets OriginKashmir Buy from us ## Choose your santoor [Ask about a custom order ](/en-pk/form/custom-instrument-quote?instrument_id=361) - Professional ### Professional santoor From £1,000 Walnut santoors come from established Kashmiri workshops. [Ask for a quote](/en-pk/form/custom-instrument-quote?instrument_id=361) - Concert grade ### Concert grade santoor Up to £5,000 Top concert instruments come from master craftsmen. [Ask for a quote](/en-pk/form/custom-instrument-quote?instrument_id=361) ### What to look for When buying a student or professional santoor, compare the layout of bridges and strings first, then the wood and how long it seasoned. Choose the layout your teacher plays, since each style sets its own number of bridges and strings. Before you buy, check that each bridge sits square on its felt pad, and that every course tunes to one clean unison. KalaSudha sells professional walnut santoors from established Kashmiri workshops, and concert instruments from master craftsmen. Ours suit the student and the concert player: ask us for a quote, or for a santoor made to order. ### After you buy Delivered worldwideWe pack every instrument for international shipping; ask us about cases and insurance. Service and repairWe service and repair any santoor, wherever you bought it, worldwide: ask us. Strings, parts and casesAsk us for strings, spare parts and cases, and about a size for a younger learner. Help with your instrumentAsk us through the chat on any page, or by email, for help with your instrument. Gifts, schools and travelAsk us about gift vouchers, class sets for schools, and flight cases and travel help. Read the santoor care guide - **Tuning by course:** Strings shift with temperature and humidity, so tune before every session with a chromatic tuner and hammer. Tune each string, then check that all four in the course sound one clean unison before moving on; a muddy course blurs the melody. - **Bridges:** Bridges move in play, above all on new instruments. After each session check that each sits square on its felt pad; a tilted bridge alters intonation and can cut the string. - **Humidity:** Keep 45–55% relative humidity in a hard case, away from sun and heaters, with a humidifier in dry seasons, so the body does not crack or the pads loosen. - **Strings:** Replace dull, kinked or rusty strings a full course at a time, since old and new strings will not hold a unison, and order for your layout: 100, 91 or more. Keep spares of each gauge in the case. - **Mezrabs:** Re-pad tips once they flatten, deaden the attack and stop rebounding, and sand rough wooden tips that could catch a string or mark the varnish. KalaSudha Academy ## Learn the santoor with us [All courses ](/en-pk/courses) You can learn the santoor with KalaSudha online and in workshops; every beginner starts at Foundation level. The first stage covers seated posture and the loose grip that lets each mallet bounce off the strings. We teach children as well as adults, so ask us about the age to start a child and about a santoor size for a younger learner. Coming back to the santoor after a long break, you start again where you left off. The levels in our courses make that possible, once your teacher has reviewed where you stand. [Ask about learning the santoor](/en-pk/form/learner-enquiry?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=361) ### Your route, stage by stage 1. 1 Posture and basic strokes With KalaSudha, every beginner starts here, at Foundation, the first level of our courses. Learn seated posture, with the santoor on a low frame or on your lap as Shivkumar Sharma played it, and the loose grip between index and middle fingers that lets each mallet bounce. Build clean basic strokes and learn the bridge layout, so you can find each course and the note it sounds. 2. 2 Bridge navigation and damping Study the chromatic layout of the bridges across three octaves and move fast between bass and treble with control. Learn damping to stop strings ringing into each other, so melodic lines stay clear, before you add speed. 3. 3 Meend approximation and gamak Struck strings make meend, the glide between notes, and gamak hard to produce. Develop the rapid alternating strokes between adjacent bridges that give the illusion of a glide, and study how Bhajan Sopori pressed thick strings and used heavier mallets for longer sustain. 4. 4 Raga and composition Study alap suited to the santoor, whose short decay lets each phrase resolve into silence, then gat compositions, where the percussive attack keeps fast passages clear, and improvisation within the tala. Build repertoire across several ragas. 5. 5 Performance practice Shape complete recitals through alap, jor, jhala and gat, with concert-level dynamics and expression. Study the exchange with tabla, and with pakhawaj in the dhrupad-leaning Sopori style, and listen to Rahul Sharma and Abhay Rustum Sopori, who carry their fathers' lines. The instrument ## About the santoor ### What makes a santoor ### What is a santoor? The **santoor** is the trapezoid hammered dulcimer of Kashmir and Hindustani classical music, and ours suits the student and the concert player. Its metal strings run in courses of four over wooden bridges: about 100 strings on 25 bridges in the traditional layout, and 91 on 31 in Shivkumar Sharma's design. One stroke of the light mallets sounds a whole course with a shimmer. It is the only major Hindustani concert instrument whose strings are struck. ### What makes a great santoor Concert santoors are built in **walnut**, the traditional tonewood of Kashmir, hollowed into a resonating chamber whose sloped sides let each hand reach its register: bass on the right, treble on the left. Treble strings are steel and bass strings brass-wound steel. The walnut or maple mallets, **mezrabs**, have bare or padded tips and bounce from a loose grip. ### From Sufiana music to the concert stage For centuries the santoor accompanied **Sufiana Mausiqi**, the Sufi music of Kashmir. Struck strings resist **meend**, the glide of raga, so Shivkumar Sharma (1938–2022) widened the range to three chromatic octaves and approximated meend with rapid strokes between adjacent bridges. No other Indian classical instrument makes its glide this way, and balancing stroke and damping takes years. Recitals run alap, jor, jhala and gat with tabla. Recordings with Hariprasad Chaurasia on [flute](/en-pk/instrument/flute) took it to listeners far beyond the recital hall. Start on one of our [santoor](/en-pk/instrumental/hindustani-classical/santoor) study paths. ### History Most accounts trace the santoor to the Persian *santur*, a hammered dulcimer of Middle Eastern court and devotional music; others trace it instead to the *shatatantri vina*, the hundred-stringed vina of Sanskrit texts. It reached Kashmir through trade and by the medieval period was central to **Sufiana Mausiqi**, the mystical music of Kashmiri Islam. There it accompanied Sufi poetry with the Kashmiri saz, setar and wasool drum, in a textural role more than a solo one. **Shivkumar Sharma** (1938–2022), born in Jammu, took up the santoor at 13 and spent years solving its two problems for raga, sustain and pitch bending. He gave his first recital in Mumbai in 1955, recorded *Call of the Valley* (1967) with Hariprasad Chaurasia and Brij Bhushan Kabra. He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986, the Padma Shri in 1991 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2001. **Bhajan Sopori** (1948–2022), of the Sufiana gharana, built the Sopori baaj, with long dhrupad-leaning alap and [pakhawaj](/en-pk/instrument/pakhawaj) as well as tabla. Their sons Rahul Sharma and Abhay Rustum Sopori carry both lines on. How a santoor is made Concert santoors are built in **walnut**, the traditional Kashmiri tonewood, whose even grain gives a warm, focused tone; the traditional box is seasoned **mulberry**. The trapezoid body is hollowed from thick planks into the resonator, its angled sides placing bass bridges on the right and treble on the left, and its 7–9 cm depth sets how long notes sustain. Layouts vary. The traditional santoor has 25 wooden bridges, each 3–4 cm tall on a felt pad that keeps the body from deadening it, carrying four unison strings, about 100 in all. Shivkumar Sharma's design uses 31 bridges and 91 strings for three chromatic octaves. Strings run from pegs on one side to anchor pins on the other, steel in the treble and brass-wound steel in the bass, with gauges rising from treble to bass for even tension. The **mezrabs** are light 25–30 cm shafts of walnut or maple, held loosely between index and middle fingers for a bouncing wrist stroke: bare tips sound brighter, cloth-padded tips softer for alap. Makers balance tip weight against shaft stiffness for the right response in each register, and a stroke that presses into the string kills the tone. ### At a glance Primary materialWalnut wood; seasoned mulberry on the traditional Kashmiri box String system25 bridges, ~100 strings (4 per bridge); 31 bridges, 91 strings on Shivkumar Sharma's design Playing methodTwo light wooden mallets (mezrab or kalam) Tonal range3 chromatic octaves TraditionHindustani classical; Sufiana Mausiqi PioneersShivkumar Sharma; Bhajan Sopori Full specifications #### Physical dimensions Body shapeTrapezoid Body length85–90cm Body width (wide end)38–42cm Body width (narrow end)25–28cm Body depth7–9cm #### String & bridge system Bridge count25 wooden bridges (31 on Sharma's design) Strings per bridge4 (tuned in unison) Total strings~100 (91 on Sharma's design) String materialSteel (treble); brass-wound steel (bass) Tonal range3 chromatic octaves (wider on Sopori's model) #### Playing equipment Mallet nameMezrab or kalam (qalam) Mallet materialWalnut or maple Mallet length25–30cm Mallet tipCurved, spoon-shaped wood, or padded (cloth or felt) Playing positionSeated, instrument on a low frame or on the lap #### Tuning system Tuning methodIndividual steel peg tuning with a tuning hammer Standard pitchA=440Hz (concert pitch) Bass registerRight-hand side (lower strings) Treble registerLeft-hand side (higher strings) #### Acoustic characteristics Tonal characterBell-like, shimmering, crystalline SustainShort to medium (percussive attack, natural decay) Dynamic rangeSoft to full-bodied via mallet speed and pressure ProjectionMedium-high (suitable for small to medium concert halls) Explore the music ## Hear the santoor Hear KalaSudha's [recordings](/en-pk/releases) and [concert videos](/en-pk/videos). ### Players - [ Vinay Desai Disciple of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma ](/en-pk/artist/vinay-desai) Ask us to book a santoor player for a concert, event or recording. [Book a santoor player ](/en-pk/book-indian-classical-musicians) ### Hear it live - [ A Hundred Strings in Oxford: Two Strings, One Pulse 18 Nov 2026 Oxford ](/en-pk/event/a-hundred-strings-in-oxford-two-strings-one-pulse) - [ A Hundred Strings in Manchester: Strings of Kashmir and Delhi 20 Nov 2026 Manchester ](/en-pk/event/a-hundred-strings-in-manchester-strings-of-kashmir-and-delhi) - [ A Hundred Strings in Bournemouth: Ragas by the Sea 21 Nov 2026 Bournemouth ](/en-pk/event/a-hundred-strings-in-bournemouth-ragas-by-the-sea) - [ A Hundred Strings in London: Plucked and Struck 22 Nov 2026 London ](/en-pk/event/a-hundred-strings-in-london-plucked-and-struck) [All events ](/en-pk/events) Keep exploring ## More around the santoor - [ Discipline Santoor Shape a raga phrase with balanced kalam strokes and clear note placement. ](/en-pk/instrumental/hindustani-classical/santoor) Questions ## Santoor: common questions Buying, learning, care and the instrument itself. ### What is a santoor? A santoor is a hammered dulcimer from Kashmir: a trapezoid walnut box with about a hundred strings. Twenty-five wooden bridges carry the strings in sets of four, and the player tunes each set to one note, so one stroke sounds four strings together. The player sits with the santoor in front and strikes the strings with two light wooden mallets. A struck string cannot bend, so the player suggests a glide with fast strokes on neighbouring bridges. The santoor accompanied Sufiana Mausiqi, the Sufi music of Kashmir, until Pandit Shivkumar Sharma brought it to the classical concert stage. ### What is the difference between the sitar and the santoor? The **sitar** is plucked and slides between notes. The **santoor** is struck and cannot slide, so it moves in runs and repeated strokes. The sitar is a long-necked lute with a gourd body, movable curved frets and sympathetic strings beneath the playing strings. The santoor is the hundred-stringed instrument of Kashmir: a flat wooden box strung with metal strings, struck with a pair of light wooden mallets. On the sitar you hear a phrase held and bent, the way a singer does. On the santoor each note rings on after the hand has moved. See [what is a sitar](/en-pk/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-sitar) and [what is a santoor](/en-pk/faq/instruments-artforms/what-is-a-santoor). ### How do I start learning the santoor? You can learn the [santoor](/en-pk/instrumental/hindustani-classical/santoor) with KalaSudha online and in workshops; every beginner starts at **Foundation** level. The first stage covers seated posture and the loose grip that lets each mallet bounce off the strings. We teach children as well as adults, so ask us about the age to start a child and about a santoor size for a younger learner. Coming back to the santoor after a long break, you start again where you left off. The levels in our [courses](/en-pk/courses) make that possible, once your teacher has reviewed where you stand. ### What should I look for when buying a student or professional santoor? When buying a student or professional santoor, compare the layout of bridges and strings first, then the wood and how long it seasoned. Choose the layout your teacher plays, since each style sets its own number of bridges and strings. Before you buy, check that each bridge sits square on its felt pad, and that every course tunes to one clean unison. KalaSudha sells professional walnut santoors from established Kashmiri workshops, and concert instruments from master craftsmen. Ours suit the student and the concert player: ask us for a quote, or for a santoor made to order. ### Where can I buy a santoor outside India? KalaSudha sells the santoor to buyers outside India, by quote or made to order, and delivers it worldwide. We pack your santoor for international shipping; ask us about a case and insurance. Any santoor can come to us for service and repair, in any country and wherever you bought it. We also supply strings and spare parts. For help with your santoor after the sale, use the chat on any page or email . Ask us too about gift vouchers, class sets for schools or a flight case for travel. ### What is a good gift for someone learning an Indian classical instrument? A good gift for someone learning an Indian classical instrument suits the instrument they play and the stage they have reached, so ask their teacher if you are unsure. An instrument of their own, or a better one, also makes a gift: KalaSudha sells every instrument by quote or made to order. For something smaller, ask us for a case, or for strings and spare parts to suit their instrument. Lessons make a gift as well. KalaSudha teaches online and in workshops, and beginners start at Foundation level: see our [courses](/en-pk/courses). Ask us about gift vouchers. ### What wood is a santoor made from? Sources disagree on the wood of the **[santoor](/en-pk/instrument/santoor)**. A Greater Kashmir column names seasoned mulberry for the traditional Kashmiri box, and a retailer names walnut and mulberry, with sheesham on some modern instruments. Whatever the timber, it must be seasoned for years before carving, or it may crack under the tension of the strings. Ask the maker which wood was used and how long it was seasoned. ### How many strings does a santoor have? The traditional Kashmiri **[santoor](/en-pk/instrument/santoor)** carries 100 strings in courses of four over 25 bridges, with each course tuned to one note. Shivkumar Sharma reworked his concert instrument to 31 bridges and 91 strings, giving three clear octaves with chromatic tuning. Bhajan Sopori's model carries more, and counts vary between makers and players. ### How do you tune a santoor? Each course of a **[santoor](/en-pk/instrument/santoor)** has several strings that sound one note, so the player brings every string in a course to the same pitch. The traditional Kashmiri santoor has 100 strings in 25 courses of four. Shivkumar Sharma's 31-bridge, 91-string instrument is tuned chromatically across three clear octaves, and string and bridge counts vary between makers and players. ### How do you play the santoor? A **[santoor](/en-pk/instrument/santoor)** player strikes the strings with a pair of light mallets, called mezrab or kalam. Shivkumar Sharma held the mallets between the index and middle fingers. He also played the santoor on his lap rather than on the traditional wooden stand, to reduce disturbing resonance; the instrument weighs about 8 kg. ### Can the santoor play meend? Playing meend, the glide between notes, is hard on the **[santoor](/en-pk/instrument/santoor)**, because its strings are struck with mallets. So is gamak, the ornamental oscillation. That was the main obstacle to raga performance on the instrument. Bhajan Sopori answered it with thick strings pressed to imitate meend and heavier mallets for sustain, and his style draws on dhrupad, with long alap and meend. ### Who brought the santoor into Hindustani classical music? Two musicians are most credited with bringing the **[santoor](/en-pk/instrument/santoor)** to the Hindustani classical stage: Shivkumar Sharma and Bhajan Sopori. Before the mid-20th century it was widely regarded as a folk instrument. Sharma reworked it for three chromatic octaves. Sopori (1948 to 2022), of the Sufiana gharana, developed a separate style with added strings, a gourd and sympathetic strings. ### Is the santoor related to the yangqin and the cimbalom? Yes, the **[santoor](/en-pk/instrument/santoor)** belongs to the family of hammered dulcimers: box zithers whose strings are struck with a pair of light mallets. Its relatives include the Persian and Iraqi santur, the Chinese yangqin, the Hungarian cimbalom and the German Hackbrett. In Kashmir the santoor was used for centuries mainly to accompany singers of Sufiana Mausiqi, the Sufi-related classical music of the region. ### Can I book a santoor player for a concert, event or recording? You can book a santoor player through KalaSudha for a concert, event or recording session. Send us your request through our page to [book Indian classical musicians](/en-pk/book-indian-classical-musicians). You can hear our artists before you book, in KalaSudha's [recordings](/en-pk/releases) and [concert videos](/en-pk/videos). ### Who are the best-known santoor players? Well-known **santoor** players include Shivkumar Sharma (1938 to 2022) and Bhajan Sopori (1948 to 2022), the two players most credited with bringing the santoor to the classical stage. Sopori, of the Sufiana gharana, built his own style, the Sopori baaj, with long dhrupad-leaning alap and pakhawaj as well as tabla. Their sons carry both lines on: Rahul Sharma, who began the santoor with his father at 13, and Abhay Rustum Sopori. ### Still have questions? Our support team can help you find the right answer. [Contact support](/en-pk/form/learner-enquiry?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=361) Talk to us ## Tell us about the santoor you want Ask for a quote on an instrument made to order, or about learning to play it with our teachers. [Ask for a quote](/en-pk/form/custom-instrument-quote?instrument_id=361) [Ask about learning](/en-pk/form/learner-enquiry?source_entity_type=node&source_entity_id=361) Stay close ## Keep KalaSudha close. Receive news of concerts, learning opportunities, recordings and the work taking shape at KalaSudha. - Concert news - ·Learning opportunities - ·Recordings and stories We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time. 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