In the today’s world where all sorts of hi-tech entertainment sources are available, the traditional drummers, once esteemed as the leading entertainers, are getting redundant and fighting for their survival with shrinking income, as people have switched over to other modes of leisure while there is a ‘ban’ on their entry into marriage halls.
These drummers, generally known as dholwala and dholchi, were a guaranteed part of almost every celebration till five years ago. It was lucrative business especially in Punjab and Sindh. Interestingly, the trend was not only limited to the weddings, as even leading politicians also hired them for political functions. But the situation is quite opposite these days.
14-year-old Iqbal Ashraf from Sargodha says he joined the profession in 2008. “I migrated to the federal capital for earning livelihood for my family,” he said while talking to Pakistan Today.
Narrating his distressing tale, Iqbal said he was studying at government-run school in Sargodha but his father was unable to ensure an income sufficient to cater the daily needs of the family.
“My father runs a donkey cart and he cannot earn enough money to feed the whole family; therefore, started working as drummer for my sisters and mother,” he said. When asked why he did chose drumbeating instead of some another smart job, the teenager replied that his forefathers were also attached to the occupation and his father was the only member of the family, who hated the job. “I opted to become a drummer, a job which my father quitted because of some complex,” Iqbal said.
He pointed to the fact that the drummers were facing discrimination in the society, as they were among the “kammi” and “mirasi” by their caste. In the rural areas, “kammi” are the people who work as servants in the houses or on the lands of feudal lords. “Even the landlords feel ashamed of talking with us because we they consider us as a slave” he noted with a dejected face. Many people, however, still like being a drummer, not withstanding their sorrows and grief’s.
In the garrison city of Rawalpindi, the drummers have become a beauty of the Murree Road and Double Road Crossing. Dressed in yellow shalwar kameeez, some five members of a family have established their office on a footpath near the Double Road Crossing. Talking to Pakistan Today, Chacha Ashraf, the head of the group, said they had been working in the twin cities for more than eight years, adding that most of the drummers had moved to the federal capital from Multan, Sargodha, Jhang and Khanewal.
“Some of our fellows are promoting the profession in Lahore and other major cities of Punjab,” he added. “It is the most profitable season for us but we will return to our hometowns with the arrival of Muhrram-ul-Haram,” he said. The “Lahori Bhangra Group” is the name which they chose for their group. Another drummer Junaid said they were also expert in other musical instruments like “chankana”, “shehnai”, “khartal” and “chimta”.
They expressed their frustration over their income, saying their demand were on a decline for the last several years. “Now, we can earn Rs 5,000 each whereas it was Rs 10,000 before 2005,” he said. The traditional entertainers were of the view that most of the people were no arranging their marriage-related functions in marriage halls. “Our entry is banned in marriage halls; that’s reason why many people are reluctant to hire our services,” he said.
They claimed that they were among the artists who were fighting the battle to safeguard the indigenous culture of Pakistan. “The society should promote us while removing all the social barriers hitting hard on culture.”
