Traditionally, the dhol was used to wake up people for Sehr during Ramadan, however, this trend has faced a gradual demise overtime. With mass migration to posh areas of the city, this age old tradition has been lost, rapidly replaced by modern technology like mobile phones and alarm clocks, and it only lives on as part of the older generation’s memory.
When the Ramadan moon was sighted in the past, drumbeaters started the ritual of awakening people for Sehr by drumbeating, and in return they received the gratitude of the neighbourhood on Eid – not just in prayers, but also in the form of cash. Muhammad Nawaz, 45, who beats drum in Sadiqabad’s streets, told Pakistan Today that he had been awakening people by drumbeating for the last 30 years.
Nawaz said he wakes up at 1:30am and starts patrolling the streets of Sadiqabad and adjoining areas from 2am, loudly beating his drum to wake up citizens for Sehr. “Last year I earned Rs 5,800 from the inhabitants of the area … hopefully this year I will get up to Rs 8,000 as Eidi,” he said.
In the streets of Rawalpindi, drumbeaters also call loudly to make sure that no one in their respective locality remains asleep. In some localities, they come in small groups and while some beat drums, others recite naats and qawwalis. “Though technology has made the concept of drumbeating redundant, we pay them to keep the centuries-old tradition of drumbeating at Sehr alive,” said Ismail Khan, a resident of Sadiqabad.
However, this tradition has almost faded in the capital. Haider Ali, 70, who drumbeats in Islamabad’s Bharakau area to waken people up at Sehr, said the tradition of drumbeating in Ramadan was fading into oblivion. “A few years ago, I used to earn around Rs 6,000 from the inhabitants of my area for waking them up for Sehr. Last season, however, I only earned Rs 2,500,” he said. He said that in the past, people used to give him cash remuneration for waking them up at Sehr, but things have changed since.
Haider said in addition to his Ramadan reveilles, he played at weddings, birthday parties, and other functions, but Ramadan was his favourite season for besides earning money, he also earned the blessings of God. Rehan, a citizen, said dhol playing had a special significance in subcontinental history and it was an old tradition, as every Ramadan the drum beaters played a vital role in waking people up and at the end of the month people gave them gifts and money as a form of appreciation for their services.
He added that like other good historical things we had in the past, modern technology had replaced drumbeating. Abdullah, a citizen, said “no doubt it is an old tradition and we love it a lot, but things are changing with the passage of time. This concept too has become a part of our history and now there is no need to beat drums or to bang empty tins at Sehr, because people have substitutes like mobile phones, television and loudspeaker announcements from mosques.”
