Amjid malang rabab saaz
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My grandfather and family gave permission to pursue this line of work because there was no other alternative”, says Garibu’s grandson. My father and uncles know the ways of our people. Tired of this disrespectful existence I decided to take up dealing in garbage and waste material.
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“There is no respect in the traditional form of livelihood anymore. He has opted out from the traditional craft. His grandson, Prem, has already changed his occupation. Like Mangat Ram’s dhol, the been has been in his family for generations but unlike Mangat Ram it will end with him. Inspite of a government ban on the catching of snakes, he continues to keep his snakes for he knows no other way of life. Garibu lives in Morinda, he too is illiterate. Today they command premium rates in terms of cash and kind. His entire clan, for five generations, seems to have imbided the dhol playing techniques in the Guru Shishya Parampara right from his grandfather to the grandsons, who are representing India at various forums and stages abroad. He learnt under the tutelage of the truly traditionalist players who considered purity of form and adherence to the authentic beats of great consequence. His brother, Prem Chand and his nephews Naseeb and Seva Ram, as well as his son, Des Raj and grandson, Dev Raj are well known, popular dholis who have represented Punjab at various national and international forums. Son of Ganda Ram and grandson of Malli Ram, he is a contemporary of the ace dhol player, Ghugi. When Mangat Ram was a young boy learning from his grandfather in Pakistan, he had made it his passion to be able to play the dhol for long durations with a repertoire comprising a large variety of beats. The story of Mangat Ram is an embodiment of the genesis of the dhol and its usage in Punjab over the years. The dhol has a come a long way in the changing trends of musical following and audience preferences in the past century. He was born in Pakistan, and had his initial training in Pakistan itself, and is one of the few surviving dhol players who knows a number of ‘bolis’ which form the repertoire of the `dholi’. This medium height, red cheeked, gray eyed, septugenarian with snowy white hair peeping out of his rakishly tied, white turban, belongs to a traditional family of ‘dhol’ players. Although not purely related to Gurmat Sangeet - this article contains important elements of Sikh Kirtan traditions and mentions of famous exponants.