Dhak and dhol players come together in Mymensingh

Like previous years, the dhak (big drum) and dhol (smaller drum) artistes from different districts of the country gathered at a temple here just before the Durga Puja celebrations.
Artistes from Sirajganj, Bikrampur, Dhaka, Narayanganj, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Natore, Rajshahi, Magura, Bogra and different parts of greater Mymensingh region gather here every year at Dashbhuja Pujabari on Durgabari Road in the town.
“I've been coming here for the last four years,” said Sukhchand Das from Bikrampur.
Sukhchand, who is a farmer, said that they are not professional instrumentalists, but on the occasion of Durga Puja they come here to perform, make some extra income and enjoy the festivities.
Last year Sukhchand managed to acquire a contract to play for five days and this year, as of Tuesday, he was yet to get a gig. “I'm expecting better contracts this year as the number of puja mandop has increased in the district,” he hoped.
Likewise, Bashu Dev Moni Das from Narayanganj is a carpenter by profession, and has come here to perform and celebrate the biggest festival of Bengali Hindus.
Dipak Moni Das from Dhaka said that, apart from merrymaking and earning some money, they also seek blessings from the Divine. “We perform not only to make money, but this is also our way of worship, as the beats of drums symbolically usher in the Divine,” Dipak said.
Raj Kumar Das, a young dhak performer of Mymensingh, said that as they have no platform or organisation representing them, many artistes have to arrange contracts to perform on their own.
Sometimes, artistes coming from other districts are deprived of fair deals by middlemen and their unfair practices. The number of professional artistes is on the wane, as this has become a seasonal profession, and one cannot survive on the meagre income, added Raj Kumar.
Though organisers are spending more money on mandops in recent years, the remuneration of performers is yet to go up, the artistes were of the view.
They also informed that there are two places in greater Mymensingh where the performers throng just before Durga Puja. One is in Mymensingh town and the other is at Nat Mandir in Katiadi, under Kishoreganj district.