“I got inspired by my aunt who played the dhol and seeing her love for it made me join our pathak (group that plays together) two years ago. I knew it would be heavy but I had no idea how heavy it was until I tied it around me. Initially, my entire body would ache and it felt difficult and I wondered if I would ever be able to be get the beats and rhythm right. Luckily for me, my family was extremely supportive and I never heard them say, “Ladki ho kar dhol kyun bajana hai.”
With their support, practice and a little dedication, today I can say with pride that I am good at it. With every performance, I realised the good vibes and energy the dhol brought in my life. I kept up with the consistency and our group was invited by one of the cultural organisations in Spain where we played the Dhol Tasha on the streets and the stage! The exposure and the recognition we got was the best thing that happened to me.
Earlier, I faced resistance from my tuition teacher who did not understand my love for the dhol. She felt it created unnecessary noise pollution and diverted my attention from studies, but after seeing our Spain performance she has accepted that the dhol is very much a part of me.
Today, I am able to explore a different side of me whenever I wear the dhol and I love the way I have grown with every performance. Playing the dhol sets me free! I am glad that members in our group mentored me and did not discriminate against me just because I was a girl. I think fewer girls take up the dhol because they think it is only for boys. But I think that’s a myth- A dhol is for everyone! I wish more girls take up this as a hobby, because playing the dhol is more powerful than one can imagine. I would like to say only one thing to all the girls -Girl power is the best power. Just go for it. It may sound scary at the first but soon, it will become the best thing in your life!”
-As shared by Asmi, a class 7 student from Dahisar who loves craft apart from playing the dhol.