Dhol

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Dhol

Other names	ਢੋਲ, ڈھول, ઢોલ, ढोल
Classification	Membranophone
Related instruments
Dholki
More articles
Bhangra, Music of Punjab, Bihu Dance

Dhol (Devanagari:ढोल,Punjabi: ਢੋਲ, Urdu: ڈھول) can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent. Its range of distribution in India and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Assam Valley, Gujarat,Kashmir,Maharashtra,Konkan and Goa,Punjab,Karnataka,Rajasthan,Sindh and Uttar Pradesh.The range stretches westward as far as Afghanistan.The Punjabi dhol is perhaps best known abroad due to its prominent place in the rhythm of popular Punjabi Bhangra music.

Description

The dhol is a double-sided barrel drum played mostly as an accompanying instrument in regional music forms. In Qawwali music, the term dhol is used to describe a similar, but smaller drum used with the smaller tabla, as a replacement for the left hand tabla drum. The typical sizes of the drum vary slightly from region to region. In Punjab, the dhol remains large and bulky to produce the preferred loud bass. In other regions, dhols can be found in varying shapes and sizes and made with different woods and materials (fiberglass, Steel, Plastic). The drum consists of a wooden barrel with animal hide or synthetic skin stretched over its open ends, covering them completely. These skins can be stretched or loosened with a tightening mechanism made up of either interwoven ropes, or nuts and bolts. Tightening or loosening the skins subtly alters thePitch of the drum sound. The stretched skin on one of the ends is thicker and produces a deep, low frequency (higher bass) sound and the other thinner one produces a higher frequency sound. Dhols with synthetic, or plastic, treble skins are very common.

The introduction of electronic devices such as tape recorders has led to a decline in the importance of dhol players in celebratory events. Nevertheless, dhol music still figures in the studio recordings of present day Raas/Garba and Bhangra music artists. A related instrument is the dholak or dholki.

History

The dhol is a drum that dates back to the 15th century. It was probably introduced to the Indian subcontinent via the Persian drum type dohol (duhul).^[1] The evidence for this is found in Ain-i-Akbari, which describes the use of duhul in the orchestra of the Mughal emperor Akbar.^[2] The Indo-Aryan word "dhol" appears in print around 1800 in the treatise Sangitasara.^[3]

Relation to other drums

One finds a similar yet appreciably distinct family of drums with similar names in Iran (Persian: دهل), Armenia (Armenian: դհոլ), and states of Central Asia.

Regional forms and traditions

Punjab (India and Pakistan)

It was used in war by the Sikhs and later to celebrate successful harvests by the farmers.This drum became the ground roots of modern Bhangra music. The dhol is also used ceremonially during Sikh wedding processions and parties.

Sufi dhol player Pappu Saeen, from Pakistan

In Western Punjab, the beats of dhol have been a vital element in the ceremonies of the great Sufi mystics and their followers. The patterns of dhol have been developed to catalyze the mind of the devotee as is seeking spiritual trance.Someone who plays the Dhol is known as Dholi (Punjabi: ਢੋਲੀ). Traditionally the Punjabi dhol has been the domain of men.

The Dhol is played using two wooden sticks, usually made out of bamboo and cane wood. The stick used to play the bass^{[disambiguation needed ]} side of the instrument, known as the dagga in Punjabi, is thick (roughly about 10mm in diameter) and is bent in a quarter-circular arc on the end that strikes the instrument. The other stick, known as tihli, is much thinner and flexible and used to play the higher note end of the instrument.

The Dhol is slung over the neck of the player with a strap usually made up of woven cotton. The surface of the wooden barrel is in some cases decorated with engraved or painted patterns.

Rhythms

In the pre-Partition era, dozens of rhythms were played on the Punjabi dhol, which corresponded to specific functions. However, with the decline or disappearance of some cultural practices, recent generations of dhol-players have become unfamiliar with many of these. At the same time, the growth of folkloric staged bhangra dance in Indian Punjab inspired the creation of many new rhythms particular to that dance.^[4]

Some of the most common Punjabi dhol rhythms are bhangra (originating with the old, community bhangra dance), dhamaal (associated with many cultural functions, including worship at Sufi shrines), and kaharva, a dance and song rhythm. The staged "bhangra" dance, originating in the 1950s, gave special prominence to kaharva, for the performance of actions called luddi. In the 1970s, many more actions were added to staged bhangra to go with the kaharva rhythm, which started to become one of the most prominent rhythms associated with the dance. At the same time, this type of rhythm would be played on the dholki drum to accompany Punjabi songs. So when, in the 1990s, Punjabi pop songs began to evoke bhangra dance, they used the kaharva rhythm. It is known now by various names. Some dhol-players call it kaharva, its technical name, while other players in Punjab call it luddi to refer to the dance of that name. With the style of dhol-playing that developed in the U.K., the name chaal was adopted—probably in reference to the "chaal" movements it accompanies in modern bhangra—however, that term is not used elsewhere.^[5]

Assam

In Assam, dhol is widely used in Rongali Bihu (Bohag Bihu), the most beloved festival of the Assamese people. Rongali Bihu is celebrated in the mid of April every year.

Goa

Dhol (which is always accompanied by tasha,cymbals etc.) is an important part of Goan Shigmo celebrations.^[6]It also is an important part of Goan temple music.Only the temple dhol was traditionally played by a specific caste.^[7]

Gujarat

The dhol was used by Gujaratis during celebrations such as Navaratri to accompany garba. Garba are the folk songs which describe the grace of the divine mother.

Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, Dhol is a primary instrument used in Ganesh Festivals. In the city of Pune students, working professionals, businessmen come together to form Dhol Pathaks or troups. Pune supposedly has the largest number dhols in India.

Karnaktaka

Called as Dhollu in Kananda,is always accompanied by a famous folk dance form known as Dollu Kunitha and is performed by the people of the Kuruba caste of Karnataka. ^[8]

Pashtun areas

When doing Attan, the cultural Pathan/Pashtun dance, Dhol is the main musical instrument. Attan is done in accordance to the sound of the Dhol.

In global culture

It has also become popular in other parts of the world due to South Asian diaspora. Dhol has been a popular musical instrument in both formal and informal dance performances for decades.

References

See also

• Dholi
• Bhangra
• Punjab region
• Music of Punjab
• Indian musical instruments
• Davul
• Bihu
• Bihu dance
• Garba
• Nagara
• Pappu Saeen
• Rani Taj
• Dholak

Further reading

• Schreffler, Gibb Stuart. Signs of Separation: Dhol in Punjabi Culture. University of California, Santa Barbara, 2010.
• - Assamese Dhol