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<p>In the Central Himalayan Region of Garhwal, traditional drummers known as Bājgī, Aujī, Ḍholī, Bansī, or Dās are particularly known for their performance in rituals involving <i>Devī-Devtās</i> (local Hindu deities). Their drumming practice is deeply intertwined with and integral to community life and spiritual ceremonies. Various ritual practices involve divine embodiment by a deity who temporarily embodies a person, often accompanied by drumming rhythmic instruments, known as <i>ḍhol-damauñ</i>. This paper examines the intricate drumming practices found in Garhwal, exploring rhythms, instruments, and the drummers’ personal involvement in facilitating worship practices and how they play and define their music. Central to this investigation is the exploration of <i>Ḍhol Sāgar</i>, a written text encapsulating the musical repertoires, drum history, and practice specific to the region. Thirteen months of ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in the Garhwal Himalaya, utilizing semi-structured interviews and analysis of published references to <i>Ḍhol Sāgar</i>. This paper sheds light on drummers <i>as</i> instruments, the importance of ritual drumming, and <i>Ḍhol Sāgar</i> as a written text and as a sonic experience, demonstrating its continued relevance in the contemporary drumming practice in Garhwal. Specifically, it documents the history and origin of <i>ḍhol-damauñ</i> and how drumming practice informs and is informed by the local cosmology. The paper contributes to the broader academic discourse on the relationship between religion, music, and ritual.</p>

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The Rhythms of Tradition: Understanding Ḍhol Sāgar and Drumming Knowledge in Garhwal Himalaya, North India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年4月7日

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  • Vineet Gairola,
  • Shubha Ranganathan

摘要

In the Central Himalayan Region of Garhwal, traditional drummers known as Bājgī, Aujī, Ḍholī, Bansī, or Dās are particularly known for their performance in rituals involving Devī-Devtās (local Hindu deities). Their drumming practice is deeply intertwined with and integral to community life and spiritual ceremonies. Various ritual practices involve divine embodiment by a deity who temporarily embodies a person, often accompanied by drumming rhythmic instruments, known as ḍhol-damauñ. This paper examines the intricate drumming practices found in Garhwal, exploring rhythms, instruments, and the drummers’ personal involvement in facilitating worship practices and how they play and define their music. Central to this investigation is the exploration of Ḍhol Sāgar, a written text encapsulating the musical repertoires, drum history, and practice specific to the region. Thirteen months of ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in the Garhwal Himalaya, utilizing semi-structured interviews and analysis of published references to Ḍhol Sāgar. This paper sheds light on drummers as instruments, the importance of ritual drumming, and Ḍhol Sāgar as a written text and as a sonic experience, demonstrating its continued relevance in the contemporary drumming practice in Garhwal. Specifically, it documents the history and origin of ḍhol-damauñ and how drumming practice informs and is informed by the local cosmology. The paper contributes to the broader academic discourse on the relationship between religion, music, and ritual.