On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, grand processions accompanied by the resounding beats of dhol-tasha were taken out across Pune
Pune has around 170 dhol-tasha troupes, but the scale of the city’s celebrations means they are being stretched to capacity. During immersion, a single troupe can perform for three to four processions, while around 700-800 mandals seek dhol-tasha performances at various points during Ganeshotsav. Thete said youngsters, particularly those aged 18-24, were increasingly joining a pathak. Akansha Patil, a 19-year-old college student, joined a pathak this year and is already performing beyond her troupe commitments.
“We have told many organisers to reduce the number of members where possible so that more mandals can be covered.
“There is much more demand this year, but even our existing pathak are falling short,” said Shirish Thete, treasurer of the Dhol Tasha Mahasangh. We are trying to accommodate as many as possible, but there is a limit to how many places one troupe can cover,” Thete said. Thete said troupes have been trying to divide their members across commitments and adjust schedules to meet the growing demand. We are requesting everyone to adjust,” he said. Parag Thakur, president of the Dhol Tasha Mahasangh in Maharashtra, said the changing conversation around noise pollution had increased interest in traditional instruments. We are also trying to ensure that everything remains controlled,” he said. We played for our housing society during Ganapati installation and will perform during visarjan as well,” said Patil.
Pune: Traditional dhol-tasha pathak are seeing a sharp surge in demand this year amid growing concerns over noise pollution and the use of DJs and loudspeakers during Ganeshotsav. The revival of traditional instruments, however, has also exposed a shortage of troupes, with existing pathak struggling to meet bookings from mandals, housing societies and visarjan processions. But mandals argue that they paid for the full troupe. “Every year there is some discussion about noise pollution, and people want celebrations to happen within limits. A steady influx of younger performers is accompanying the shortage. “My brother and I have drums at home.
“The demand has increased, especially from mandals that earlier depended on DJs.
Bookings are often finalised about a month in advance, while troupes begin preparing several months before the festival.
The newly formed Aryan School Pathak has children aged eight to 16 and will perform at Kesariwada on Wednesday. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news.
Awareness is also needed about dhol-tasha, as well as the practice and effort that goes into performing it,” he said. “Some residents also complain about the loud noise when we start practising a month before Ganeshotsav. We have moved away from residential areas and are looking for spaces for next year where the noise will not be such an inconvenience to residents. For now, however, the immediate challenge is finding enough players to meet Pune’s growing appetite for the traditional sounds. Download the TOI App.