📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Leyth at Persian Wikipedia / کاربر:Ghazy Kelay
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Saitar’s Fading Notes: Can Meghalaya’s Music Scene Revive a Forgotten Khasi Instrument?
✍️ Hub News
🗓 20 Sep 2026, 02:01 PM
👁 10
The Saitar, a traditional Khasi string instrument, is fading from memory as younger musicians turn to modern sounds. Revivalists in Meghalaya are exploring ways to reintroduce the instrument into contemporary music.
The Saitar, a once‑prominent string instrument of the Khasi people, is now rarely heard in the streets of Meghalaya. Traditionally used in village ceremonies and folk songs, the instrument’s delicate sound has been eclipsed by electric guitars and digital beats.
Local musicians and cultural organisations are taking steps to revive the Saitar. Workshops in Shillong and surrounding towns are teaching younger players the unique tuning and playing techniques that define the instrument’s character.
In recent months, several fusion ensembles have incorporated the Saitar into contemporary arrangements, pairing its resonant strings with electronic loops and drum machines. These experiments aim to show that the Saitar can coexist with modern music while preserving its cultural heritage.
Music educators are also developing curriculum modules that include the Saitar, hoping to embed the instrument in school music programs. By integrating the Saitar into formal education, they aim to secure a new generation of players.
While the instrument’s survival remains uncertain, the growing interest among artists and educators suggests that the Saitar may yet find a place in Meghalaya’s evolving music scene.
Local musicians and cultural organisations are taking steps to revive the Saitar. Workshops in Shillong and surrounding towns are teaching younger players the unique tuning and playing techniques that define the instrument’s character.
In recent months, several fusion ensembles have incorporated the Saitar into contemporary arrangements, pairing its resonant strings with electronic loops and drum machines. These experiments aim to show that the Saitar can coexist with modern music while preserving its cultural heritage.
Music educators are also developing curriculum modules that include the Saitar, hoping to embed the instrument in school music programs. By integrating the Saitar into formal education, they aim to secure a new generation of players.
While the instrument’s survival remains uncertain, the growing interest among artists and educators suggests that the Saitar may yet find a place in Meghalaya’s evolving music scene.