Dhaakis, idol makers keep Durga Puja spirit alive in Gurugram celebrations

From Purno Ghorai’s beats to Lal Pal’s crafted idols, artisans bring devotion and livelihood to Delhi-NCR, where dhaak echoes connect migrants with tradition.

By Mihika Shah

Dakhis performs during Maha Saptami Aarti in Sector 46’s Sahashrabdi Samity. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Durga puja celebrations across India are incomplete without the rhythmic beats of the dhaak, locals say, and every year dhaakis from remote villages of West Bengal travel to Gurugram to keep the tradition alive. For them, the dhaak is both a devotion to Goddess Durga and a means of livelihood, they said.

Among the performers is Purno Ghorai, a skilled artisan in his late-50s, who spends most of the year crafting traditional instruments such as dhol and tabla. Since 1989, he has been playing the dhaak during Durga puja at the Community Centre in Sector 15 Part 2. “Playing the dhaak is my way of connecting with Goddess Durga. It is how I serve her during the festival,” he said, smiling.

Meanwhile, At the Sector 46 Community Centre, dhaak player Sandeep Ghorai, originally from a small village close to Kolkata, and a fellow musician carry forward the same spirit. “It is just the two of us, but when we play, we make sure it feels like 10 dhaakis are performing together,” Sandeep said with pride. For him, each beat carries joy and responsibility, he said. For Sandeep, the festival is a matter of survival. “We travel to Delhi-NCR because it pays better. We make around ₹25,000 to ₹30,000 in Delhi-NCR which is way more than what we make in Kolkata during the festival,” he added.

“We have to be here during our biggest festival as our families depend on us,” said Ghorai.

For organisers, dhaakis have become more than performers. Sudeep Bhattacharya, an organising member of Sector 15 Part 2’s Durga puja committee shared, “We usually approach dhaakis from our own ancestral villages. It is not about hiring performers, rather it is about keeping cultural and emotional ties alive, even thousands of kilometres from home.”

Moumita Mitra, member of the Sector 28 Maruti Vihar Sarbojanin Samiti added, “We can’t imagine Pujo without dhaak and dhaakis—it’s everything for us.”

Durga puja is also the busiest season for idol makers. Lal Pal, 56, a seasoned artisan based in CR Park, Delhi. Originally from Kolkata, Pal has been sculpting idols since the age of 12. “I prefer working in Delhi since Kolkata is already flooded with idol makers,” he said. This year, he crafted 15 idols of Goddess Durga. “Making the goddess every year feels like a blessing. When my customers are happy, I feel fulfilled too,” he added.

This puja season is crucial for idol makers, Pal said. “I start receiving the orders for Durga idols nearly 3-months before the festival. Most of my earnings come from this one season...I usually make 10-15 idols each year, as per the demand,” added Pal.

An artist from Murshidabad, West Bengal, touches up eco-friendly idols near Haryana Sr Secondary School in Chakkarpur. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

As the light shimmer and dhaak echoes through Gurugram, it is easy to get lost in the spectacle of Durga Puja. But behind every beat, behind every idol and every flawless ritual are the hands and hearts of the people who give their all, often without recognition, locals say. Priyanshi Dixit, who works at High Spring tech company, a Gurugram resident for 6 years noted how her family awaits this festival for the entire year. “The tune of dhaak fills positivity and enthusiasm in the air. Durga Puja is incomplete without Dhaak and Dhaak players,” she added.