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Published : 24 Oct 2022, 01:06 PM
Sushil Das learnt to play the dhak, a traditional Bengali drum usually played with wooden sticks, from his father when he was a child. For five decades, the sexagenarian has played the instrument for audiences both at home and abroad. He has performed in Kolkata as well as the Indian capital of New Delhi.
But Sushil now finds it hard to make ends meet as a drummer, amid rising costs of living. The increasing reliance on technology for music at social events also threatens to render the profession obsolete.
Heeding the lessons from the struggles of their fathers, the children of drummers in Dhaka tend to leave the family profession and opt for other careers after completing their studies.
Dhakis typically belonging to the Rishi sect of Hindus use the surname Das.
A narrow alleyway leads to more than 500 small houses crammed together in the neighbourhood of Nitaiganj in Narayanganj, also known as Rishi Para. The area is home to at least 20 drummers, while a few others live in Deobhog and Tribeni.
The Rishi sect is spread across the country. Members of a marginalised group, they are also known as Monidas and Robidas. In some parts of the country, Muslims also play the dhak along with Hindus going by the surname Malakar. Those living in Brahmanbaria use Rishi as their family name.
The Rishis in Brahmanbaria inhabit two villages – Kashinagar and Sitanagar – near the Titas River. Kunjabihari Rishi, a resident of Sitanagar, said there were still seven bands of musicians in the village of 2,000 residents. Some villagers form temporary bands during Durga Puja, the biggest festival for Hindus in Bangladesh, when drummers are in high demand.
“Playing the dhak and other instruments is in our blood,” said Kunjabihari Rishi, a legal assistant.
Jagatbondhu Rishi, who learned to play the dhak from Lalit Rishi in Kashinagar, said he had been playing the instrument for about 12 years. “My forefathers played the drum too.”
When opportunities to play the dhak dry up, Jahgatbondhu drives rented cars to make a living. He plans to get married soon, too. When asked if the family tradition of playing the dhak down to the next generation, Jagatbondhu said youngsters in his locality receive general education alongside lessons to play musical instruments such as drums and harmonium. “Like them, I want my children to study and learn music together.”
Sadhan Malakar, a man in his sixties, has been playing the dhak for the last 40 years. A native of Feni’s Sonagazi, Sadhan has carried on the profession of his ancestors, but his son never grew an interest in playing the instrument.
“Young people come to me to learn to play the dhak but not my son. He left home to look for a job as he didn’t like to study. I always wished that he became a drummer, but he turned out to be a tailor.”
Sushil Das from Narayanganj, on the other hand, has no hard feelings about his children's lack of enthusiasm for the trade. “It is true that drummers are still in demand, especially for performing in puja or other social events. But it is really hard to survive in this climate of exorbitant prices by playing the dhak alone,” he said.
“It’s a different feeling of joy that overcomes me when the drumsticks hit the dhak. But both of my boys are studying. One appeared for the SSC exam while the other is an eighth-grader. They have no interest in this [playing the dhak]. Also, playing the dhak is quite strenuous,” Sushil said.
Sushil has been playing the instrument since Bangladesh's independence. His ancestral home is in Daudkandi. “Back in those days, almost every household had a drummer. I used to visit the puja venues, cultural programmes and weddings to listen to the beats of the dhak and to play it as well. I played the dhak in Narayanganj for many years. Now, we don’t have much work and besides, my health doesn’t permit me to play anymore.”
Although playing the dhak remains his passion, Sushil works as a rickshaw driver in the city as offers to perform with the instrument aren't always forthcoming.
The Monidas sect of the Hindu community is predominantly engaged in playing the dhak. Aside from pujas and weddings, bands are invited to play Muslim shrines as well. Every traditional band has a dhaki in it. For drummers, the Bengali months of Agrahayon, Poush, Magh and Falgun, comprising the Hindu wedding season, are rife with opportunities to perform.
Usually, a band consists of five members -- one plays the dhak, two play the flute, one plays a pair of hand cymbals and another plays the dhol, a smaller drum. But larger bands are hired for events of the more affluent members of society. These groups earn around Tk 25,000 to Tk 30,000 in an event. Dhakis say they pocket around Tk 500 to Tk 3,000 from these events.
The advancement of technology has had a profound impact on the profession, according to Bishnu Chandra Das, chief of Ma Lakshmi Band Party.
“It was a fruitful profession before and we could run our families with the earnings. We used to be invited to play the dhak at folk concerts throughout the year. Nowadays, most cultural events bring DJs to play music." The rhythmic beats from the drums, hanging from the players’ shoulders or strapped to their waists, have given way to the flashier sounds booming out of sound systems at most events.
The drummers solicited the government's intervention and support to uphold the cultural tradition.
Many Muslims play musical instruments in Bishnu's band, but the dhak is mainly the domain of Hindus, Bishnu said.
Thirty-year-old Shyamal Chandra Das plays the dhol in his father's band. His father, Ishan Das, plays the dhak, but Ishan, too, is well-versed in the instrument. They also make and repair the dhak themselves. A dhak, dhol and flute sit tidily on Shyamol's bed.
“My grandfather used to play the dhak as well. I learnt to play it from them. In my childhood, I was compelled to go with my father and play the drums. Now, it has become my passion. I listen to the sounds of music even in my slumber. Mostly we were invited to play at Hindu weddings and pujas. This is our work.”
At times, the band is flooded with work while opportunities are often hard to come by, said Shyamol. “But we manage to live somehow with the meagre earnings. We can’t simply leave the family profession. Also, I don’t have any other skills.”
Times were even tougher for dhakis during the coronavirus pandemic. “In some cases, we went to play at an event, but police arrived and seized our instruments. Later, we had to pay a fine to get those back. It was really a hard time,” Shyamol said.
Chandramohan Das, 40 has been a drummer since he was a teen. He plays the dhak whenever he gets the chance. Otherwise, he sells new and used shoes on the pavement in Narayanganj for a living.
“Selling shoes is my main source of income. Even then, I can’t stop myself from going whenever there’s an invitation to play the dhak,” he said.
Tapan Chandra Das has played the dhak at Dhaka's Dhakeshwari Temple for the last four decades. Though the dhak has been played by his family for seven generations, the professional dhaki does not want his children to make it their primary occupation.
“After my grandfather passed away, my father and uncles used to play the dhak in this temple. I used to accompany them. I never liked to study and spent most of my time in the temple, watching my father and uncles play the instrument. That’s how I learnt to play it,” said Tapan.
The responsibility of continuing the family trade fell on a 12-year-old Tapan after his father passed away 40 years ago.
Now, his elder son also harbours an interest in playing dhak. “I told him I’m fine with it if he learns to play it alongside his studies. And it’s okay if he doesn’t want to [play the instrument]. I haven’t studied much, but I want my children to have a proper education and earn a living.”
“At the same time, I want this tradition to continue. So it will be great if he can study and then come to the temple to play the dhak in his spare time.”
Tapan, however, points out that the income of dhakis has increased over time.
“When my father was a drummer, we were facing financial difficulties. They used to earn Tk 5 or Tk 10 as a tip. When I started, I used to earn Tk 50 a day. But now the demand is higher, although I must admit that it's mainly during the puja season. From Durga Puja to Kali Puja, that’s when we make our biggest earnings. We are called to play in some other small pujas, weddings and other social events throughout the year,” he said.
But providing for their families throughout the year is a challenge for dhakis. Usually, they live off their savings after the puja season ends, taking up other jobs to get by, Tapan said.
