Artisans in Thakurgaon are busy making and repairing traditional drums, including dhak and dhol, as preparations gather pace for the upcoming Durga Puja.
A visit to Matul Dhol Ghar and Ananda Sur Ghar at Pirganj College Bazar found artisans working tirelessly to meet the demand for new and repaired drums ahead of the festival.
Dhanesh Chandra Roy, a musician from Jaykrishnapur village in Pirganj upazila who had brought a dhak for repair, said, “The beats of the dhak and dhol attract visitors during the Puja festivities.
The celebrations simply do not come alive without this music. With the grand Durga Puja festival approaching, I have brought my dhak in for repairs.”
Another musician, Haridas Roy, said, “I earn my livelihood by playing the dhak and dhol. I have come to buy a new dhak and I am also getting my old instruments repaired so that I do not face any problems during the Puja.”
Artisan Nirmal Biswas, 70, said the workload increases every year ahead of Durga Puja.
“We have been making dhak and dhol for generations. Making a tabla, dhak or dhol requires materials such as cow, goat or buffalo hide, a clay shell, a chisel, wire and thread. A single medium-sized hide is enough to make two dhol or tabla drums, a process that takes four to five days,” he said.
He added that, due to rising costs compared with last year, repairing a dhak or dhol now costs between Tk 1,500 and Tk 2,000, while making a new one costs up to Tk 5,000.