Covid impact: Band artists lose rhythm of life

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 18

Raj has been playing dhol and other instruments in weddings since last 15 years but he has now decided to leave the family profession and is ready to work as a labourer in a factory. Because of the pandemic, Raj has been forced to borrow money from his relatives and friends to support his family.

“I have a family to look after. I am devastated. Kuch nahee bacheya. Kadi nai socheya si, apne pushtaini kamm nu chhadna payega, asi loka nu khushiya dittiya, ajj aap khatam ho gaye. (Nothing has been left. Never thought I would have to leave my family profession. We gave joy to people but have been ruined now),” says Raj.

Many like Raj say that they would now look to work as labourers in factories, while some others say that all their lives they had only learned to play bands and nothing else.

They have a feeling that now marriages won’t happen the way they used to be, so they were finished. “No one would want band artists and dholwalas now,” they sum up.

These artists have also taken loans from several people who are now asking for the repayment. Since this was the marriage season, band artists had brought dresses on rent, which are now lying unused. However, they would have to pay the rent on the dresses.

Chandar, a band artist by profession, breaks down as he shares his plight. His life had become a challenge. He is now fearful for his family’s future. “Hum doosron ki khushi mein khush hone waley hain, aaj humari zindagi mein andhera hai. (We used to be happy in others happiness, but today our lives are in the dark)”

Chandar has a band team and plays trumpet in marriages and other big events. But now, since no big marriages are taking place amid the pandemic, band artists and dhol players, who used to infuse life in marriage functions, are looking for ways to survive.

Chandar explains, “We are the ones whom banks don’t pay loans, but we get it from private parties on higher rate of interest. When we earn money from marriages, we repay the lenders. What would we do now? This though is not letting me sleep.”

Chandar says he cannot cry in front of his family because he is the only bread earner and he will have to stay strong. But a mention of his children makes his throat choke. “I have two children, one is studying in Class X and the other in Class XII. Earlier, I had thought that if they won’t study, at least they would become band artists, but even that is not possible now because the band is nowhere,” says a teary eyed Chandar.