Dhol-tasha beats mark the start of Ganeshotsav prep

Time of India

a day ago

Mumbai's dhol-tasha pathaks are gearing up for the Ganpati festival, their thunderous beats echoing across the city. These groups, driven by passion, consist of young percussionists from diverse backgrounds, balancing their love for traditional music with daily life. Players find peace and stress relief in the music, united by their devotion to culture and community, with earnings going to charity.
While Mumbai gears up for the much-awaited 10-day Ganpati festival, the literal heartbeat of the celebration, that is the thunderous beat of the dhol-tasha, has already begun echoing across the city, under flyovers and in quiet lanes.
Dhol-tasha pathaks, an intrinsic part of Maharashtra's culture, are deep in practice, fine-tuning their skills for Ganeshotsav.
'We have kept growing over the years'
Neelesh Vijay Bharankar, founder of the Gajashree Dhol Tasha Pathak in Tilak Nagar, recalls their humble beginnings. 'We began with 20-25 people around a decade ago, and now we have 125 members, including many young girls and women. We have kept growing over the years,' he says.
Rajesh Mail, who co-manages the Navshree Dhol Tasha Pathak with Manish Ghadshi, adds, 'We have 70-80 active members who practice regularly.
We now travel as far as Ratnagiri, Belapur, and all over Mumbai for Ganeshotsav and also other cultural festivals.'
'We are mostly a youthful team driven by passion'
These troupes are largely made up of young percussionists balancing school, college, and work. 'There's no strict age limit.
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Anyone old enough to hold a dhol can join (smiles). While we do have people in their 30s, most are busy with work and can't attend all events,' says Rajesh. Rajat Umesh from Samrajya Dhol Tasha Dwaj Pathak adds, 'Our team includes 15 to 30-year-olds. The dhol is heavy, and the intense drumming often leaves players with sore hands.
But their devotion keeps them going.'
'Amidst those deafening beats of the dhols, I find so much peace'
For Aadityaa Santosh Juvale, an IT professional, weekends revolve around practice.
'Saturdays are for instrument maintenance. On Sunday mornings, we gather under the flyover by 8 am, for practice. We're taught taals and beats in batches by lead and sub-lead players. Sessions last 2 to 2.5 hours, then we break for lunch and go back to practice for another couple of hours. By the time we return the dhols and reach home, it's evening.
We do it all for love. Amidst those deafening beats of the dhols, I find so much peace.
Uss awaz ke beech humein shaanti milti hai.' Rajesh, who has been playing for seven years, echoes the sentiment, 'All our stress just melts away when we play.'
'I am the only Catholic in the entire group!'
Beatrz Dalgado, a decade-long dhol player, shares her journey: 'I was inspired after seeing a skinny girl playing a massive dhol. I persuaded my mother to let me learn. I started with the dhwaj (flag) like all newcomers and eventually learned everything.
I'm the only Catholic in the group! I've received a lot of love and guidance here. My mom was thrilled I joined something I truly wanted to do.'
'It is never about the money for us players'
Across all pathaks, a common refrain is that the music is driven by passion, not profit. 'We were three dhol enthusiasts, Prathmesh Pratap Mahadik, Diksha Sharad Yadav, and I, and it was Diksha's dream to start a pathak. After she passed away, Prathmesh and I made it happen in her memory last November.
We perform at festivals. None of us get paid,' says a member of their group. 'Everything from travel and food to uniforms, is taken care of by the pathak.
Whatever money comes in goes to charity. It's about service, not earnings,' he adds. Rajat agrees, 'The only motivation is our love for our culture and also traditional music.'
'Practice grounds are like community spaces'
Gauri, who has been playing for two years, says, 'People from all backgrounds, ages, and mindsets come together here. We play, laugh, argue, and grow together. Our practice grounds are like community spaces, it's just beautiful.' Aniket Korde from a Chembur-based pathak reflects on his childhood dream, 'There are people from different backgrounds and that is what makes this special. As a kid, I'd listen to dhol-tasha during festivals and try to mimic the beats on stools.
Eventually, I joined a group. It's something I always wanted to do and now I have got to know so many like minded individuals.'