Kashmir musician Adnan Manzoor Steps Up To Revive Ancient Instrument Rabab His Story

Rabab, one of the oldest musical instruments in Kashmir, is believed to have been invented in Afghanistan and later made its way to India. It is commonly used to create all forms of music in Kashmir.

With the constant unrest in the valley, Kashmiri music and its artists have been dwindling for many decades now. Music albums and songs didn’t release for years. People who pursued music as a full-time profession were on the verge of giving up, and some even did. Yet, there is a ray of hope now as, despite all odds, a young boy is taking tiny steps to save and revive what is lost.

Adnan Manzoor, a 21-year-old boy from the Bemina area of Srinagar, is one of those artists who decided to revive the valley’s ancient instrument Rabab – by making it more accessible to youth through digital media.

Adnan, an engineering student from the University of Kashmir, started learning the art of playing the instrument from well-known musician Irfan Bilal at the age of 15.

He has participated in several live music concerts and events all over the country. He has also worked with musician Himesh Reshammiya and is currently working on a new project with Zee Music.

Adnan said playing the Rabab brings peace and composure to his soul. “Rabab is the most pleasant instrument. People cherish it. It is a part of traditional music of the valley,” Adnan told India Today Television.

I think with time, things are changing, and so is the trend of music in our valley. People are now taking an interest in learning music and instruments. Many young people are already taking it as their profession,” he said.

Sharing his knowledge about Rabab, Adnan said the three main strings of Rabab and the body are made of goat’s intestine and skin.

“This means the instrument bears the soul of someone, therefore it is called Rubab,” he said.

Adnan said earlier that Rabab was not used much in Bollywood songs, but now the composers and producers are reaching out to him for playing the instrument in their songs.

“This signifies that it has started making its presence felt in Bollywood. I hope someday I will be able to make Rabab known worldwide,” he said.

I started using social media. My one cover had more than 3 million views. I got emails, messages from people who wanted to learn the instrument,” he said.

“Social media has impacted our generation so much that even some of the biggest stars owe their careers to it. You never know who could end up watching your video,” Adnan said. (IndiaToday)