Guwahati, Aug. 29: Dhol maestros from all across the state will come together in Sivasagar district this October and perform with the hope of inspiring future generations to become ojas.

Ojas are experts at playing the dhol, who after years of training gain the ability to narrate events or describe certain objects through their instrument. Such renditions are called haat. Ojas believe that a dhol can "talk like a man".

The Northeast centre of the Sangeet Natak Akademi has decided to organise a three-day programme in a bid to assemble all these experts in one place. The director-in-charge of the Northeast centre of the Akademi, Raju Das, told The Telegraph that over 40 ojas representing four generations will attend the programme, including some prominent faces like Tulasi Oja and Sorukai Oja.

Bihu beats are considered the basic stage of playing the dhol. "People have become Bihu-oriented. The number of people willing to become ojas is dwindling. We feel that the craft, once popularised by Moghai Oja, is going to die. That is why we decided to organise a festival to revive it," said Das.

"Different ojas will perform in the evenings during the three-day programme beginning on October 16. During the day, experts will deliver lectures on ojas. We will prepare six papers on different aspects of dhol," Das said.

"So far, we are considering two places to hold the event: the courtyard of Rang Ghar in Joysagar and the open space near the Siva Dol in Sivasagar town. The lecture programme will be held in Sivasagar Natya Mandir," he Das.

Das said the entire programme will be documented. "We will record the performances, seminars and interviews of the ojas."

As requested by the Akademi, Dhaneswar Oja from Bokakhat has been contacting ojas for the past several months to ensure their participation in the programme.

Some of the ojas who are participating in the programme are 92-year-old Naren Bora from Golaghat, 77-year-old Hiteswar Hazarika, 78-year-old Haliram Bora from Majuli, Ambeswear Bora, 79, from Jorhat, Umesh Chetia, 78, from Jorhat and Golap Oja, 79, from Dibrugarh.

Dhaneswar said most of these ojas were struggling with their health and poor financial condition. "Of them the condition of Golap Oja is very bad. Yet he is so interested about the programme that he has decided to perform in the programme for a few minutes," he said.

Dhaneswar said all the participants would play different haats. "This means that we are going to get at least 40 different haats. This can be preserved. And if someone wants to learn he or she will get a base to learn it," he added.