Dhakis (traditional drummers) hailing from West Bengal have attracted the City Durga Puja organisers.
Interestingly, all these artists are invited to the city particularly during Durga Puja from various districts of West Bengal. Prominent organisers hosting the grand festival denote the beats of the Dhak a must from shashti (Sixth day of Navratri) to Vijaya Dashami (Idol-Immersion day, Post Navratri).
Impressed by the tune of the folk medium, Bengali Kalibadi Samity marking over eight decades of Durga Puja organisation has called ten Dhakis from Kolkata this year. “In the previous years, we had restricted the number of Dhakis till five or six. But, observing the enthusiasm of public including people of different age genres, we thought of increasing the numbers,” said Samity’s Executive Committee Member Sanjay Bhattacharya.
Similarly, another old organizer Railway Institute Durga Puja Committee has decided to call two Dhakis on panchami (fifth day of Navratri) following with two Dhakis on ashtami (eighth day of Navratri).
“Dhakis create a natural musical atmosphere in every ritual of Durga Puja be it for worshipping the goddess or making the children or women dance for a competition,” said a Jaideep Hore, a Senior Member of the Committee.
Sources claimed the Dhakis of 24 Parganas, Kolkata or Murshidabad start arriving on Panchami and halt till the time of idol immersion. “They are paid a sum ranging from `6,000 to 8,000 per head on daily basis,” added Sources.
Even for the residents of Bengali Community, the Dhaki music holds a special place during Durga Puja. Mahadev Mahto, an Administrative Staff of Bharat Sevashram Sangha Pranavananda Academy at VIP Road said, “We ensure hopping pandals wherein Dhakis are played.”
Meanwhile, Sanjay Chakraborty, a Businessman of Shankar Nagar said, “With the presence of Dhakis around the pandals, we hardly find any difference in celebrating Durga Puja in Kolkata and Raipur.”