Check Out Sahar Farooqui Khundmiri’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sahar Farooqui Khundmiri.

Hi Sahar, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been around music my whole life. From dancing in my bedroom to Bollywood songs, to school orchestra, to harmonium lessons, to choir and more…experimenting with sound has always felt natural. Home wasn’t always easy, and music became both a safe space and a way to figure out who I was.

In college I chased those identity questions academically. I earned a B.A. in Political Science to understand power structures, then an M.A. in Religious Studies to dig into belief systems and start asking all the right questions. I worked nonstop: teaching, research gigs, internships, retail jobs, etc. partly because I liked being busy and partly because it kept me out of a tense household.

After meeting my now husband, I finally felt free to lean back into music. I picked up the sitar and everything clicked. When we moved from Atlanta to L.A., I started attending soundbaths and breathwork sessions. It hit me that I could blend the sitar’s classical ragas with modern wellness tools and use my academic background to keep the work culturally grounded instead of watered down.

That idea fueled my work today. I now run recurring sitar-led soundbaths at various studios and do several private and corporate events.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all! I really struggle with the appropriation aspect in the wellness space in L.A. It’s frustrating for me to see people say “Namaste” to me at the end of a session or utilize Hindu or Sikh names. It’s been a process having to learn how to be more accepting of people from all walks of life, no matter how much my studies have deviated me away from people like this. Everyone deserves access to healing, no matter how much I disagree with their viewpoints or the frustration I feel when I see my culture being used as propaganda. It’s all a part of my own healing journey and to not put up too many expectations or immediately assume the worst in people.

Another struggle has been positing myself in the wellness space! There are so many brilliant soundbath practitioners that it feels tough a lot of the time to put myself out there. I find myself needing to trust in a higher power I’ll find my people and whatever is meant to be will be.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My goal is simple: make high-quality, culturally respectful sound healing accessible in L.A. and let people feel truly at home in their own bodies while I do it. I like to utilize sounds that are familiar to me with the culture(s) I come from, including sitar, harmonium, vocals, ghungroo, and even rain (think monsoons)! I like to think that what I’ve created is sound art and conduct each session as a live performance piece to promote culturally competent healing and meditative bliss.

The part I’m most proud of (and probably what I’m known for) is sitar of course! I’ve dedicated nine years (!!!) to this practice and continue to play until my body lets me. Sitar is a brutal and beautiful instrument and I take it very seriously. It’s hard on your body and your fingers and may be one of the most complex instruments to learn. The fact that I’ve come all this way and have stayed committed to it for this long as someone who tends to be a jack of all trades says a lot about how much passion and love I have for it.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Listening to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan with my dad on car rides. It would be just me and him. He’d put on something complex like “Tumhein Dillagi Bhool” which was definitely way past the comprehension of a seven year old. And yet, it stuck with me all this time.

I honestly think this is one of the reasons I allow Sufism to fuel a lot of the philosophy behind the soundscapes I create and the vast appreciation I have for South Asian music overall.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.saharsound.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundsbysahar