An artisan makes a dhol in Guwahati. Picture by UB Photos

April 17: Gone are the days when Assamese people had stopped beating dhols (drums) after a few days of Bohag Bihu. Now, all through the year, the sound of the Assamese drum resonates in some part of the state or other, according to the observation of the dhol-sellers here over the past few years.

They said selling dhols are now no longer a seasonal business and like any other musical instruments, individuals and other organisations buy dhols all through the year.

After Bohag Bihu, the dhol-sellers are now busy keeping their dhols protected from insects, so that they can be sold in the months to come.

“The trend started around three to four years ago and now we get orders all through the year. We get orders from individuals and schools where dhol is taught as part of their education,” Shyamal Mandal, an employee of Mira Musical Mart at Maligaon, said.

Mandal said he had sold 30 dhols this Bihu and has kept 12 more dhols ready to be sold during the coming months of the year.

“If there is an order for musical instruments from a school and other educational institutions be sure that the dhol and taal (cymbal) will be among them,” Tapan Das, an employee of Swargam Music in Maligaon, said.

Das said schools like Sarla Birla Gyan Jyoti, different Kendriya Vidyalayas and IIT Guwahati were some of the educational institutions that have bought dhols from them.

Based on the type of wood used in making them, the cost of dhol varies from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500.

A dhol made from the wood of a jackfruit tree (ideal wood to make dhol) costs generally between Rs 1,600 and Rs 2,500, while a dhol made of the wood of a mango tree costs between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,800.

Before every Bihu, all musical shops here become active in bringing dhols from districts like Barpeta, Dhubri and Jagiroad in Morigaon.

They said Barpeta and Morigaon are the two main districts, which form the backbone of the present dhol industry in Assam.

Das said the districts in Upper Assam, where Bohag Bihu is the most popular festival, a dhol costs as much as Rs 3,000.

“We have seen that the procedure of making dhol is considerably different in Upper Assam, compared to the districts in lower Assam. In Guwahati, customers are not ready to buy a dhol for Rs 3,000,” he said.

Although hardly 30 dhols are sold in a music stall during Bihu season here, but the sale of the small dhols was rather satisfactory.

There are some stalls, which have sold more than 100 small dhols for children till date.

Mandal, who has sold more than 100 small dhols this season, said the growing number of Bihu workshops and other training camps for children in the city, is one of the factors that increased the demand for small dhols.