Yesterday was the last day of the Durga Pujas this year, while some argued it was a day earlier than other years. Goddess Ma Durga departed with the traditional immersion ceremony again, leaving behind a void which can best be signified by the silence of the omni-resonant drums that resonate throughout the festivities right from the arrival of the Devi.
Whether Bengali or not, every Indian gets into the Dusshera festive mood heralding through the mild fragrance of shiuli flowers, the sound of dhak, dhunichi nachh (dance with the pot with embers), the anjuli puja – the triumphant return of the Mother Goddess to earth while the cities, towns and villages get set to worship her with all the zeal and grandeur from Mahasaptami to Mahanavami.
As a child (and even now ) one was always fascinated by the mystique of the rhythmic beat of these drums ( called Dhak ), what they conveyed, who were the drummers (dhakis) who tirelessly played them tied around their necks, where did they emerge from and then disappear after Doshumi – only to reappear again next year with renewed vigour…
For the benefit of the uninitiated, no prayer or ‘aarti’ can commence at any Puja pandals organized unless a dhaki starts playing the dhak as they form an integral part of this festival. The dhak is a large drum that trained dhakis hang around their necks and play with two thin sticks to infuse the frenzied rhythm into listeners. Those enchanting beats are enough to conjure up the sights and smells of Durga Puja, festival of joy and victory !
Most of the dhakis come from districts like Bankura, Malda, Purulia, Mushidabad, Asansol in West Bengal only to earn some money during the Puja. The nuances of playing the drums are like other forms of instruments, they are nurtured early and handed over from one generation to another.
A few of the Dhakis even travel to countries like the US and UK to play dhak as Durga Puja celebrations are immensely popular among the huge Indian diaspora spread across the globe. But what of the rhythms played ?
Delving more one learns that different beats are used for specific aspects of Durga Puja, as for example chokhhu daan’ (eye presentation), patha bali’ (goat sacrifice), bisarjan’ (immersion ceremony), sandhya arati’ (evening offerings), sandhipuja’ (worshiping at the conjunction of two phases), and so on. However, expectedly with changing cultural ethos, the old rhythms of these traditional drummers are undergoing changes and the rhythm is no longer as slow as in earlier generations.
Moving on after ‘Doshumi’, we convey respectful regards to elders and wish and greet each other ‘Shubho Bijoya’ or the colloquial equivalent “Happy Dusshera’. Whatever our age or belief, the ‘sounds of dhaks’ are those remnants of our culture and customs that will never cease to amaze and inspire as does the power and glory of the spirit of Ma Durga ! At the same time, let’s resolve to maintain our virtues of love, compassion & humanity.
Working on Living 