Salim-Sulaiman and Shankar Mahadevan are honoring the late tabla legend Ustad Zakir Hussain with their new song, "Shringaar". The song, which is part of the sixth season of Salim-Sulaiman's popular music series 'Bhoomi', is a heartfelt tribute to Hussain, who passed away in December 2024. "Shringaar" is set to release on September 1, 2025, as part of "Bhoomi 2025".

The idea for "Shringaar" was conceived in October 2024 by Salim and Sulaiman, who envisioned a piece that would unite Shankar Mahadevan's vocals with the rhythm of Zakir Hussain's tabla. Salim Merchant recalled that the basic melody was created in November 2024, and Shankar Mahadevan loved it. However, Mahadevan advised against sending it to Zakir Hussain at the time because he wasn't feeling well.

Ustad Zakir Hussain passed away on December 15, 2024. Salim described this loss as losing his "musical father". Despite the immense personal loss, completing the track as a tribute felt like a natural course of action.

Shankar Mahadevan views "Shringaar" as more than just a tribute, but also as a reminder of his experiences with the tabla maestro. He stated that performing and traveling with Hussain taught him not only music but also humility, teamwork, and positivity. Mahadevan described Hussain as a "walking encyclopedia of rhythm and life itself". He believes that the tribute extends beyond himself and Salim-Sulaiman, encompassing the entire music fraternity and that Zakir Hussain would be "smiling down, blessing us like he always did" when the song is played.

The lyrics of "Shringaar" convey a message about inner beauty, expressing that natural beauty needs no decoration. Salim recalls how Shankar Mahadevan explored the classical aspects of the song, singing the entire piece in one take without any retakes.

Ustad Zakir Hussain, born on March 9, 1951, in Mumbai, was the son of the legendary tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha. He battled idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, and passed away in San Francisco at the age of 73. Hussain's manager, Nirmala Bachani, stated that he was admitted to a hospital in San Francisco.

Hussain's death brought an outpouring of grief from the music world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a revolutionary figure and a true genius who brought the tabla to the global stage. Shankar Mahadevan mourned the loss of his "mentor" and "guiding light," noting that "the tabla will never sound the same again".

Salim-Sulaiman and Shankar Mahadevan's "Shringaar" stands as a testament to Ustad Zakir Hussain's enduring legacy and the profound impact he had on the world of music.