The Drums from Heaven-The Dhakis (Drummers) of Bengal

You herald the festivities

You bring joy to every heart

You bring joy to every home

You make us forget the woes

You give us the strength

To face another year

Drummers have played an integral part of any musical ensemble, be it Indian or Western. They have the unique power to captivate audiences, in their own right.

The drummers or “dhakis” of Bengal are no less. No festival is complete without the drummers playing their part in it. Slinging the dhaaks (drums)  over their shoulders, the drummers enthral audiences with their foot-tapping numbers. No matter what is going on in your mind, you are bound to sway to the beats.

For these drummers, the Festival of Durga Puja (a seasonal festival invoking the blessings of Goddess Durga) is a source of alternative income. At other times, they earn their livelihood from means like agriculture.

The festival of Duga Puja or Durgotsav is the killing of evil by the good. The evil represented by the demons and the good by the Goddess Durga herself. To give us the joy and enthral us during the festivities, they leave their loved ones for days. The money that they earn here will keep them going in the months ahead. This picture of the Dhaki and the Mother Goddess, was taken in Bangalore, India  in the year 2017.

It is their passion to mesmerize us with their magical beats and raise the festivities to a crescendo. Sadly after the festivities come to an end, they are a forgotten tribe. Does this have to be so?