Pipe dream

The people of Baddowal village in Punjab have turned the term on its head8212;the pipes here have made dreams come true

They don8217;t quite sing for their supper, but come close. Bands of boys in pristine whites, flashy gold and trademark red check strut about the streets dispensing piped music. These are not marching tunes, nor are the boys from the army. Bellowing out the latest Bollywood hits and Punjabi pop are the youth of Baddowal village who are earning a living by doing what they know best.

What began as a fad nearly a decade ago, when armymen taught piped music to the unemployed youth, has become the primary source of income for these villagers. It8217;s an obsession that is clearly visible as one enters the village8212;there are billboards displaying the names of pipe bands, the village has nearly 50-70 bands, each comprising nine men and a 8220;master8221;, and practically every house has an office in its front room with pictures of bands on display.

8220;The Baddowal cantonment had one pipe band and it got a lot of invitations to play at civilian functions. When they couldn8217;t handle it, they began training the youth here,8221; says Mohinderjeet Singh, 26. 8220;It began a decade ago and now the village is full of bands.8221;

There8217;s the Komal pipe band and Shere Punjab pipe band, Khalsa pipe band and Gurdeep pipe band. The list is endless and the colour of uniforms varies, but the profiles of the youth are the same. They join in their 20s and play till they are in their 40s, the master usually being a retired army official.

The bands charge Rs 3,500-4,000 per show and each member earns Rs 5,000-8,000 per month during peak season. It8217;s the marriage season which pays the most and lasts from October to February. Festivals like lohri also make for a good earning.

Off season, the boys work as daily wagers as electricians, taxi drivers and auto repair mechanics. 8220;I used to work as an electrician for the army. The salary was not great and joining the band was the only option,8221; says Kuldip Singh who plays for one Jagmohan8217;s Darbar band.

Says Jagmohan, who has been playing for almost six years now: 8220;The band usually consists of four pipers, a tenor, a big drum, two drummers and a master.8221; Adds trainer Balwant Singh: 8220;I learnt from an armyman and have been training people free of cost. We belong to the lower castes and it has helped bring some economic empowerment.8221;

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But there is a flip side: the village is flooded with bands and even surrounding villages are getting their own bands. 8220;It has led to a lot of competition. Now we have to keep restructuring every season,8221; says Hansa Singh of Shere Punjab band. As long as it8217;s providing for their livelihood, no one8217;s complaining.