I, The Dholki Player

I never knew I could play the dholki. Yes off course I tried my hand at it on the weddings of my younger aunts. But that was more than 15 years ago. I was a kid at that time (Yes, I was once a kid too). And at that time when I played it, only we kids sang to its beat. As soon as elders and more expert players would arrive at the wedding, the dholki used to be snatched away.

But yesterday (November 13, 2007) I had been to my friend’s ‘mayoo’ where I played it once again. I had been playing for the past so many days, rather trying to, but was not succeeding. I was missing out on beats and loosing the tempo and all. But then I got a hint about it from my friend’s mother. Then I started and I couldn’t believe myself that I was actually playing.

I had a lot of fun doing that. Playing the dholki, trying to change the tempo and beats according to the currently sung song and succeeding, joining in with the singers with a loud voice in singing, and doing it all at the same time. But my hands suffered. ;-) That time I didn’t realize anything. Felt nothing even after getting home. But the very next morning I knew that had actually ‘used’ my hands. Fingers of my hands, especially of the left hand were sore and I felt a tingling pain in the joints of my hands and fingers.

Just for a second I thought what would I do today on her mehandi. Would I be able to play as forcefully as before? The answer came as a big YES and put a huge smile on my face. Now I am all set to go to her mehandi event today (November 14, 2007) and play the dholki till nobody can take it anymore. ;-)

It does not matter if my hands hurt after the mayo or would hurt still more after the mehandi. But I wouldn’t have missed out on all these wedding celebrations of my friend Munazza for anything.

Congratulations Munazza! Hope you have a blessed married life! May Allah shower his blessings on you always!