Photo: STAR

Laxman Chandra Das, a dhak artiste from Bikrampur, has been a familiar face in Mymensingh for the last 45 years where he plays the dhak (big drums) at puja mandaps on the occasion of Durga Puja. The celebrations began yesterday.
Laxman, a small farmer says that he was a youth when he first came to Mymensingh and still travels to the town at Puja.” We are not professional dhak artistes but we play dhaks at mandaps to enjoy the celebrations and as a source of good seasonal income,” said Laxman.
More than 60 dhak and dhol (smaller drum) artistes from different parts of the country - Rajshahi, Magura, Narayanganj, Sirajganj, Bikrampur, Dhaka, Natore, Bogra and greater Mymensingh gathered at Mymensingh to establish contacts for sales.
“We visit Mymensingh town for better contacts every year and this year we came here hoping a reasonable income,” said Kebol Das and Nripen Das, from Nababganj in Dhaka.
“We are involved in different professions and we are occasional dhak artistes,” said Manoranjan Das from Bikrampur.
Ramdas from Lohajong of Bikrampur; Nepal Das and Sumon Das from Bajitpur in Kishoreganj concur.
The new generation is not interested in becoming dhak players and so the number of dhak artistes is on the wane, lament the dhak artistes who point out that their children prefer to go in for education rather than invest 10-12 years to become perfect dhak artistes.
Meanwhile, marking the celebration, a total of 690 puja mandaps have been set up in the district.
The puja celebration committees at different mandaps here have also organised blood donation camps, art competitions, prasad and clothes distribution among the poor as well as cultural functions.