Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, June 2

The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on people’s work, business, jobs, etc, throughout the world. Even individuals who make a living through their skills have not been spared by it.

Even people connected to the wedding industry are also counting losses. Dholis are one of them who are demanding financial help from the government as they have earned not even a single penny in the current wedding season due to the Covid-induced restrictions. They rue the entire wedding season has been lost to the restrictions enforced amid rising cases of Covid-19 in this summer season.

“Our services are sought during the days of wedding, navratras and some other days of celebrations. On top of it, our limited earning opportunities round the year have been further wasted by Covid-induced restrictions,” said Amrik Singh, a 65-year-old dholi.

This is the only source of earning for his family. His grandson Sonu also joined him after learning nuances of the instrument from him. Keeping this in view the government must give them a monthly allowance to sustain during this bad phase, he demands.

Apart from the conventional sources of engagement, now they are also hired by schools as trainers to train students in the art and are called in different parts of the country and even abroad to showcase their art. The pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the profession of about 2,000 dholis who earn their living from the Punjabi folk instrument. Its roots are so deeply entrenched in society that an entire locality is named Dholli Mohalla, indicating that generations have been involved in the profession passing the skills from one generation to the next.

A spate of electronic instruments overtook the indigenous vocal instruments barring dhol. It has not only adjusted to the changing social and cultural milieu but also maintained its independent place.

Billa, a dholi, said, “Last year too, the marriage season was wasted during the lockdown and curbs were imposed during the Navratras, which hit their income”. He says that they are not only maintaining the Punjabi heritage but are also rearing their families. Restrictions on celebrations have almost ended their income and they are compelled to fund their essential family expenditures by taking loans. He lays stress that in this scenario the government must extend a helping hand.