Eden Gardens show created a different world record
Lo, behold and envisage! 3,000 Dhakis, Bengal’s traditional drummers, beat their massive, barrel-shaped dhaks. At the same time, an equal number of drones lit up the night sky, forming grand three-dimensional figures themed on Mother Goddess Durga and her mythical anecdotes, all perfectly synchronised.
This year, the iconic Eden Gardens of Kolkata, hitherto known for creating numerous cricketing histories, crafted a different record on Saturday night, entering the Gunnies Book of World Records, not writing a tale of ‘footwork’ but scripting a story of ‘handiwork’.
Never in history have so many Dhaks been played with such harmonising perfection. And the icing on the cake: The appearance of more than 1,000 women gathering inside the iconic stadium to blow conch shells and ululate simultaneously. “It was perfect joy, perfectly spiritual and not a bit political,” said three hijab-clad women in one voice, who had also attended the programme and returned ‘absolutely mesmerised.’
Though no official would speak officially about it, they conceded privately, “Organisers and performers conducted rehearsals ahead of time… for a world record… we were not sure it would happen… but it happened… now we are knowing it that it happened… thanks to our Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari who made it happen by simple inspiration.”
In Bengal, Durga is not worshipped as a deity but as a daughter who comes home every year for ten days, along with her children, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Laxmi, and Saraswati, from her husband’s abode at Kailash.
“So Durga Puja to us is not only a religious ritual but a celebration that takes place when the daughter comes home,” said BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh, adding, “the occasion is important and not the records that are made and broken… but because the Mother is blessing Bengal and our Chief Minister, such record-breaking performance took place; otherwise, it is not easy to synchronise the playing rhythm of 3,000 drummers and that too with light works.”
Incidentally, Dhakis are traditional drummers who pass down their art through generations and work in agriculture or manual labour when there are no Pujas.
The Dhakis’ beats are unique, as each beat tells a rhythmic tale.
They are meant to be played for Bodhon (the welcoming of Goddess Durga), Sandhi Puja (the pivotal worship at the conjunction of Mahaashtami and Maha Navami days), Sandhya Arati (evening prayers), and Visarjan (the final immersion).
