For dhol-tasha performers, lack of practice space, high costs pose challenge

A large number of groups practise at or near residential neighborhoods and this leads to complaints from locals about noise pollution. “Complaints about noise from residents have made it hard to secure locations for practice. To address this, we have cooperated with authorities by reducing the number of dhols during performances from 100 to 50. This adjustment, while necessary, has affected our ability to preserve the full intensity and scale of our performances,” says Vivek Nakod of Shaurya Dhol Tasha Pathak.

Sirish Thite of the Dhol Tasha Mahasangh also highlights the difficulty in finding practice spaces due to noise complaints. “This has forced many groups to rent locations, adding to their financial burdens,” he says. He adds that there are around 160 dhol-tasha groups in Pune this year. This is a 2-5 per cent dip from previous years “but nothing to worry about”. “Every year, we see one or two new groups coming up and three or four shutting down. Young people, who make up the majority of participants, might have to go away from Pune for work or studies,” says Thite.

Dhol-tasha groups also have to strike the right balance between tradition and trendiness. The younger generation of audiences prefers a certain kind of glamorous and fast-paced entertainment. Most pathaks experiment with costumes and performance styles even if it is expensive. Inflation has hit this art form as well. Prathamesh Hendre, founder of the Naadmrudang Dhol Tasha Pathak, an all-women’s group, explained that although they charge standard fees for performances, the revenue mainly covers essential expenses such as travel and food.

Hendre emphasised that their efforts are driven by passion rather than profit, and they are committed to ensuring that each member in their group has the opportunity to participate, even if it means covering some costs out of pocket. The weather also plays spoilsport. The erratic monsoon rains can damage equipment, including the dhol, and lead to considerable financial losses. This issue becomes worse when pathaks do not have adequate storage facilities for their equipment. Yet, fighting challenges with dedication, Pune’s dhol-tasha members will be out in full force this Ganeshotsav as well, lending colour and music to celebrations.