The Dhaki

Quoting Wiki on the Dhakis:

"Dhakis are traditional drummers who play the dhak (drum) during Hindu festivals, primarily in Bengal. Drum beats are an integral part of the five-day long annual festivities associated with Durga Puja. Durga Puja does not assume the festive aura without the maddening beats of the dhak, the large drum that men hang around their necks and play with two thin sticks to infuse the frenzied rhythm into listeners. Those enchanting beats are enough to conjure up the sights and smells of Durga Puja. The nuances of playing the instrument are handed down from generation to generation, and old rhythms are undergoing changes."

Today the Dhakis arrived from the rural districts. Hundreds of them lined up before the railway station as the city warmed up to their beats. A heady rhythm of thumping beats rose into the air. There is a kind of madness to the way the dhak is played as the dhaki almost moves into a trance. Gradually, they will distribute themselves all across the various pandals in the city to add their colour to the celebrations. It was quite incredible walking through the heavy drumbeats welcoming the Pujas to Calcutta.

To see Dhakis gradually being rendered obsolete to pre-recorded CDs is a tragedy. Like many other traditional musical instruments, this is an art form too and has been handed down through generations, though it is gradually evolving.

After about 10 shots at dawn when I was beginning to find my rhythm, my batteries got discharged. It was a strange decision to most, but I immediately hailed a cab for home to get the spare and was relieved to find the dhakis still there when I returned.

P.S. Shot in monochrome out of the camera after a long time.

Larger.