Noted shehnai player Surajmani passes away in Bilaspur
Noted shehnai player from Himachal Pradesh Surajmani passed away at AIIMS, Bilaspur, officials said on Friday. He was 63.
Surajmani, who was suffering from chronic pancreatitis, had breathed his last on Thursday. He is survived by his wife and two sons.
Surajmani hailed from Chachiot village in the Nachan area of Mandi district. He was often referred to as “Bismillah Khan of Himachal” after the late shehnai maestro. He was known for his contribution to preserving the folk-music traditions of the hill state.
Sources said that Surajmani suffered a pancreatic attack soon after returning home from Chandigarh, where he had gone for a recording. He was first admitted to a hospital in Mandi district but doctors there referred him to AIIMS, Bilaspur.
The auspicious sound of Surajmani’s shehnai had become a trademark feature of district or state-level functions in Himachal Pradesh. He had also performed in the US.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said in a statement that Surajmani, popularly known as Bismillah Khan of Himachal Pradesh, had left a mark through his art both in the country and abroad.
The cultural evenings of the International Shivratri Mahotsav in Mandi district used to start with the sound of Surajmani’s shehnai, he added.
A large number of artistes, musicians and fans from across the state also mourned Surajmani’s death.
Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and Nachan MLA Vinod Kumar were among the politicians, who expressed their grief over Surajmani’s passing away.
