As the society moves towards development and modernisation, the connection with culture and age-old traditions begins to fade.
But not in Bastar and other adjoining districts. Music has been a medium to express emotions of varied shades across several cultures. Interestingly, in Bastar news of someone’s death is given with drum-beating. Even after being hit by constant Naxal attacks, the native Adivasis of the region have kept their traditions alive.
People in villages like Hiranar, Gadapal, Kodoli, Kamalur, Gudra, Pandewar and Pharaspal in Dantewada communicate the news of death by beating drums. Upon hearing the beat of the drums, people come out from their houses and take part in the mourning procession. Close relatives of the deceased person beat the drums and proceed to the funeral.
“The tradition has been going on from the times when there were minimum means of communication. To pass on an important news like death, the villagers started beating drums. When people gathered, the news was spread,” said priest of Danteshwari Temple H arendra Nath. Generally, a raised platform or a spot near a tree is chosen from where a person beats the drums to announce an important news related to deaths, festivals etc.
The tradition is still followed in several rural areas in Bastar, Bijapur, Sukma, Narayanpur and Dantewada, he said.
