At least 30 women dhakis (traditional drummers) from Katwa in East Burdwan will perform in Durga Puja pandals in Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, amid reports that hundreds of dhakis have refused to perform outside Bengal because of alleged atrocities against Bengali-speaking people in various states.

“We were also doubtful about going outside the state, as many migrant workers complained about harassment of Bengali-speaking people in various states. However, we can't afford to miss the opportunity to earn more during this festive season. So, we chose to accept offers from Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand,” said Chitra Das, the leader of the women's dhaki teams.

Das, a resident of Sudpur village in Katwa, said their journey as professional dhakis began in 2014 with just one team.

Eleven years on, the village has six troupes of women dhakis who perform in Puja pandals in Calcutta and other states every year.

“Durga Puja is the prime festival for us to earn extra income. While a dhaki in Calcutta earns ₹5,000 for six days of performance, organisers in states like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh offer ₹20,000 for the same work. So, you can easily understand why we are eager to go outside Bengal,” Chitra added.

Jyotsna Das, another dhaki from Katwa, said their work as dhakis opened up a new avenue for women to earn money and support their families.

“Although we were initially hesitant about going outside Bengal this year, we finally accepted offers and advances from organisers in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) and Ranchi (Jharkhand). Losing out on good money now won't be wise for poor people like us,” Jyotsna said.

At present, six troupes of women dhakis from Katwa regularly perform at programmes and festivals across Bengal, including Kali Puja and Jagadhatri Puja, as well as outside the state, such as in Maharashtra for Ganesh Puja and other occasions.

The state information and cultural affairs department of the Mamata Banerjee government has issued them artisan cards, under which they receive a monthly honorarium of ₹1,000. In addition, they are often invited to perform at government programmes, which provide them regular income.

“But earning a good amount is only possible if we go outside Bengal during Durga Puja,” said one woman dhaki.

A senior official in Katwa said they were keeping records of the dhakis travelling outside Bengal so that they could reach out if the performers face any problem.

Refusals aplenty

These women dhakis of Katwa, however, showed courage when many of their male colleagues in other districts chose not to leave Bengal in the backdrop of reports of harassment of Bengali-speaking people.

More than 100 dhakis from Alipurduar refused lucrative contracts to perform outside Bengal this year.

Hazrapara in Patkapara gram panchayat of Alipurduar district — popularly known as Dhaki Para — is home to renowned drummers. The village has produced stalwarts like Balaram Hazra, recipient of the Banga Ratna, who earned fame across India and abroad for his mastery of the dhak and dhol. The settlement lies just 11km from Alipurduar town.

Traditionally, drummers from this village perform in Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya during the Puja season.

Small groups of four to five musicians earn over ₹1 lakh in just four days from clubs and organisers. This year, many have refused offers.

“Organisers from Lucknow offered me a lucrative contract for the upcoming Durga Puja, but I refused. Bengali-speaking people are being unnecessarily harassed in many places and we don’t want to take any chances,” said Jogen Hazra, a senior dhaki from the village.