Some lesser known facts about Dhak & Dhakis of Durga Pooja

'Dhak' - an old percussion instrument that has a large hollow wooden instrument that is covered on both ends with hide.It is played either with bamboo sticks or hands. The instrument is slung over the shoulder, suspended from the neck, or placed on the ground or lap. This instrument is often decorated with white or multi-colored feathers or traditional white flowers known as 'kaashphool'.It is one of the popular and important percussion instruments used during religious functions in West Bengal. Those who play the dhak are called 'Dhakis’.

A larger Dhak is often called `Joy Dhak’. The dhaks of different districts in West Bengal have different shapes and sizes, though all sound the same. Although it has two sides, but only one side is played with a pair of bamboo sticks. The sound of the dhak depends on a lot of factors.

It would have no festive aura if not for the maddening rhythm of the dhak. The dhak is beaten with two sticks loudly to infuse the frenzied beats into the listeners. These beats are enough to raise the spirits and conjure up the feel of the Durga Puja. Without the instrument, the heavily celebrated festival would have felt somber.

Each part of the Durga Puja rituals has a different and unique tune and beat of the dhak right from the arrival of the idols till their immersion. It is played when the idol enters the pandal and even when it exits the pandal on the last day of the puja, Dashami. In fact, it is the sound of the dhak that fills the air of immense celebration during the ‘Sandhya Aarati’ on Ashtami. This ceremony is incomplete without the beats of the dhak. Along with that, the ‘Dhunuchi Naach’ is also an essential part where the dhak provides the musical rhythm to which people dance with the ‘dhunuchi’. Another popular tradition is the ‘Dhaker Lorai’ or ‘Fight between Dhaks’ where the grandeur is revealed the best when dhakis play in groups. It is usually a fascinating experience for the audience to see the feathered drums being played by the dhakis dancing to the music produced. Finally, on Dashami, the majestic beats of the dhak helps lift the air of sadness and gloom during the vermilion ritual and ultimately, the immersion.

There are different stages in puja rituals like Chokku daan-offering of the eyes to the Goddess Durga on Mahalaya meaning the artisan paints the eye of the idol Durga, sandhipujo(evening puja), bisarjan(immersion) etc. Dunuchi naach(dance with incense burner) where youngsters dance to the tune of Dhak. Also traditionally, there are different beats for different ceremonies during the Puja, including during the Nowadays, the tune is more or less the same.

How 'Dhak' Is Made

The trunk of a mango tree is used to make the main drum body of Dhak. The shape varies from almost cylindrical to barrel-like. On one hand, the outer portion of the wood is shaved off and carved to create the barrel-shaped instrument. On the other hand, the inner side of it is made to be absolutely hollow. The two ends of the dhak are wrapped up with goat skin on the top and calf skin at the bottom. Animal hide is provided by leather working communities, which is then stretched across both ends and the two surfaces are laced to each other. It is said that using these two types of hides brings out the perfect sound texture of the dhak. The manner of stretching the skin over the mouth of the dhak and lacing it is also an important factor in the kind of sound that will be produced. One end, which is played upon is thicker than the other end, which merely acts as a resonator.

The more the strings on the side of the dhak are pulled the higher the pitch of the dhak gets. The two sticks that are used to beat the dhak are carefully chiseled and formed out of thin cane or bamboo. Because of the drying session of the wooden structure and the intricate handwork and decoration, it takes around one month to reach perfection in making the instrument.

The dhak has become an integral aspect of the widely loved Bengali festival of Durga Puja, and other Bengali rituals and festivities. The famous dhak maker of Bengal Shri Satish Chandra Das once demonstrated each and every step of the process of making a good quality dhak. He claims that a good-sounding dhak can only be made through a manual process and human imagination, not through technological developments.

Trunks of mango trees have been used to make dhak for generations now. The abandoned mango seeds give birth to the new trees and those are called “Atir Gachh”. This “Atir Gachh” won’t grow fast but would have a solid body. Without this solid fiber-density dhak, it wont sound as good as it does. Such trees aren’t found much nowadays. Dhak can’t be made from grafted mango trees. Wood is extracted from the inside as well with the modern machines in the factories that were unavailable areas Which are further rubbed down using a hammer and a chisel. There are a couple of factories in Arangatha (Nadia district of West Bengal). There It takes three to four months to manufacture a dhak.

The circumference of the dhak is usually 6-7 feet. The preferred height is around 24 or 25 inches. The sound texture of the dhak depends heavily on the toning of the wood. The low frequency of the left side requires a wider mouth, While the other side is carved too narrow to get the right sound. Accept only the machine toning, the rest of the work is done through absolute manual efforts. The inside of the wood block is chiseled out. This work needs at least two to three days depending on the size of the dhaak. The beating sound Travels along the length of the dhaak and hits at the center of the softer side skin and trembles to improve the overall sound of the dhak. The sound will not remain the same for both sides of the dhak. It needed to be dried under the sun. Usually, it takes 8-9 days to dry, And in case of wet and unseasoned would it take 15 days minimum. It can't be kept under the scorching sun for long. Once it gets heated up it must be taken in the door. The black colour is mixed with the sealing wax and the spirit to make the dark polish. As it is put on the dhak as paint. Goat fat is used here to prevent the wood from contracting the skin.

Unfortunately, despite its popularity during one of the biggest celebrations in Bengali culture, the art is dying due to the dismal socio-economic conditions of the traditional drummers who are locally known as dhakis. Today the dhakis, who do not belong to any caste or community, are landless farmers who play the dhak dhol in their villages in their spare time. Many flocks to urban areas in West Bengal and outside it during Durga Puja in search of livelihood. It is found that there are such people in this Dhak community and there are still some dhakis in Midnapore, Purulia, and Murshidabad who works as farmers or rickshaw pullers for the rest of the year and play the Dhak only during the Puja.

The future generations are reluctant to learn how to play the dhak. They are aware of the uncertain future this profession may hold and therefore are turning their backs on this profession. the government should also take proper steps to prevent the gradual fading away of this once popular art form. Despite its grim story, we need to explore this performing art we know little about, and also a human interest story about the performers' lives, the cultural contribution of these dhakis, whose drum beats bring every Durga Pooja mandap to life with pulsating spirit, energy and vitality. The work is seasonal and pays much less than the labour and the money we put in for buying the instrument or replacing it when needed. The plight of the dhakis, who languish in absolute anonymity, with no assistance from either any government body or from any NGO. They are unsung heroes who usher a fountain of joy and festivity in our minds but are largely under-feted for their enormous contribution.