Kettledrum performers keep village flag flying high

By Jaideep Sarin, IANS

Banchari (Haryana) : Whenever and wherever they go, it is a spirited performance that comes from the group, made up of villagers aged between 10 and 65 years. The beats of their ‘nagada’, or kettledrum, have placed this village on the global map.


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Moving along the busy Delhi-Agra highway, one is sure to give a miss to this place but for the pulsating beats of the nagada. The nagada parties, as the enthusiastic villagers who are part of these cultural groups call themselves, are not only keeping their centuries-old rich cultural heritage alive but are successfully taking it all over India and the world.

The nagada party from this village – located 80 km from the national capital – in Haryana’s Faridabad district is an all-men affair even though the popular song “Nagada, nagada” from the Bollywood blockbuster “Jab We Met” featured actress Kareena Kapoor along with Shahid Kapur.

“The nagada performers of Banchari village are very well-known. We are keeping our rich cultural tradition going for centuries,” villager Lekh Raj told IANS here even as a couple of nagada parties was full-blast into a performance.

They were playing at the opening of the Sukhdev Raj Soin memorial specialty hospital – a gift to this village in one of the backward areas of Haryana by Ohio-based millionaire NRI Raj Soin in the memory of his father.

“We derive a lot of happiness out of this. Even young boys from the village want to be part of nagada parties,” said Lekh Raj.

The nagada itself is a large musical kettledrum. The bigger nadagas have to be pulled by traditionally made wooden trolleys with wheels as they are heavy. The surface that is beaten to produce the sound is made of buffalo hide and the upwardly curved wooden sticks used on the drums are called ‘dankas’.

The fast beats of the nagada, accompanied by spirited singing from troupe members – who are usually dressed in traditional white ‘dhoti-kurta’ and colourful Rajasthani-style turbans – and dancing by younger members of the group, are a head-turning attraction, especially for foreigners.

“Our guests, especially those from the US, were very impressed by the nagada performers,” said the hospital’s health adviser R.K. Singh.

One distinct feature of the nagada troupes is that it is traditionally an all-men affair. The eldest among them, Bhim Singh, is 65 years old. He has been associated with the nagada party for over four decades.

“We have several nagada parties in the village and surrounding areas. Banchari is now on the world map for the nagada. Village boys and men love to be part of this tradition even though they are simple farmers otherwise,” pointed out a performer, Bijan.

Nagada parties from the village go all over the country occasionally to give performances at festivals and fairs. Most of them have been to several other countries as well.

Banchari village itself is known for several generations of poets who have contributed to the traditional folk music form called chaupai. All-night performances of chaupais are still in vogue here and in surrounding villages. The central theme of a ‘chaupai’ is the singing of a ‘jikri’, or a ballad. The folk songs are on a variety of topics ranging from romance to social issues.

The nagada itself has a rich history. It has been played in northern India for centuries to prepare warriors for battles. Adapted over the years as a source of entertainment, nagadas once were used to send messages of joy and emergency.

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