Dhaki

Dhakis (Bengali: ঢাকি) are traditional drummers who play the dhak (drum) during Hindu festivals, primarily in Bengal. Drum beats are an integral part of the five-day-long annual festivities associated with Durga Puja but dhakis are losing out to pre-recorded CDs and cassettes.

The players

Dhakis perform mostly in pandals of barowari pujas, starting from Viswakarma Puja till Kali Puja, but are most prominent during Durga Puja. For the latter festival Kolkata has over 2,000 pandals, with numerous more in the districts. Even a small pandal without the beat of dhaks is unimaginable. Every makeshift tent has a dhak.

The Statesman writes “Durga Puja does not assume the festive aura without the maddening beats of the dhak, the large drum that men hang around their necks and play with two thin sticks to infuse the frenzied rhythm into listeners. Those enchanting beats are enough to conjure up the sights and smells of Durga Puja.”

Well, a bit of correction is required here-the thing is that the Dhak is hung around the shoulder of the player.........amd not the neck....and played with two thin stick...one a little thicker than the other.....known as (Kathis).

Durga Puja

Durga Puja (Bengali: দুর্গাপূজা, Assamese: দুৰ্গা পূজা, Odia: ଦୁର୍ଗା ପୂଜା [d̪urɡa pudʒa], listen:  listen , "Worship of Durga"), also referred to as Durgotsava (Bengali: দুর্গোৎসব Bengali pronunciation: [d̪urɡot̪ʃɔb], listen:  Durgotsava , "Festival of Durga") or Sharadotsav is an annual Hindu festival in South Asia that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. It refers to all the six days observed as Mahalaya, Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Nabami and Vijayadashami.

Durga Puja festival is celebrated from the sixth to tenth day of bright lunar fortnight (shukla paksha/শুক্লপক্ষ) in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin (আশ্বিন). This period falls in the fortnight corresponding to the festival is called Devi Paksha(Bengali: দেবী পক্ষ), "Fortnight of the Goddess"). Devi Paksha is preceded by Mahalaya(মহালয়া/ମହାଳୟା), the last day of the previous fortnight Pitri Paksha(পিতৃপক্ষ/ପିତୃପକ୍ଷ), "Fortnight of the Forefathers"), and is ended on Kojagori Lokkhi Puja ("Worship of Goddess Lakshmi(লক্ষ্মী/ଲକ୍ଷ୍ମୀ) on Kojagori Full Moon Night(কোজাগরী পূর্ণিমা/କୋଜାଗରୀ ପୂର୍ଣିମା)").

Shantanu Moitra

Shantanu Moitra (born 22 January 1968) is an Indian music director who has composed music for the Hindi film industry, and is most known for his score in films Parineeta (2005), Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2005), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006) and 3 Idiots (2009), and private albums, Mann ke Manjeere and Ab ke Saawan sung by Shubha Mudgal. In 2014, he received the National Film Award for Best Music Direction (Background Score) for Na Bangaaru Talli.

Early life and education

He was born in Lucknow, where his father came from a Bengali musical family. He was very young when he moved to Delhi with his family, where initially he lived in Patel Nagar in West Delhi, and studied at Springdales School, Pusa Road, where he was the leader and singer of the band, and in 1982, the band created history of sorts by hosting the school's first rock show. "What was even better was receiving an award in school for my contribution to music at a time when my school, Springdales in Delhi, didn't usually give awards for music. When I look back now, I think the award instilled huge confidence in me," he said.