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Coconut husk dearth hits dhunuchi dance in Lko pandals
Some organisers are forced to order from Kolkata at exorbitant rates, while others are mulling over use of alternatives like coconut rope.
LUCKNOW: ‘Dhunuchi naach’ which is a devotional dance performed during Durga Puja to honour the Goddess and is an an integral part of the festivity, may not be visible in many pandals this year. The reason is that coconut husk, which is burnt along with incense in the dhunuchi (partially open earthenware pots) is unavailable in the city.
The dance is usually performed in the evening during the Durga aarti and there are competitions of both men and women. The dancers hold one or more dhunuchi and move to the beats of the dhak, a traditional drum, and the sound of conch shells expressing devotion and joy, to offer thanks to the Goddess. However, with negligible supply of coconut husk in the city, many pandals where dhunuchi dance is performed have mooted to cut down on the age-old tradition. According to them, despite months of searching , they have collected very little husk which is not enough for a five-day long festival beginning from shashthi (sixth day).
“For months members of the Bengali Club tried their best to search all markets in the city, but husk wasn’t found in the required quantity . To get the coconut husk, one will also have to buy an entire coconut. Going by that one will have to buy 100-200 coconuts to get a bag coconut husk,” said Arun Banerjee, president, Bengali Club, Lucknow.
Devanshu Choudhary, a member of the Rabindra Palli Puja committee said, “Starting from Bhootnath market to Naveen galla mandi in the city, all the members in the committee were tasked to get husk in small quantities from their respective areas and their known shops. Despite that what we have been able to collect is not even sufficient for a day.”
“Not just during aarti, dhunuchi dance performed at night by our members and guests is a major attraction. It seems it will have to be avoided if conditions like this exist,” said Banerjee. Echoing similar sentiments, Choudhary added, “At Rabindra Palli, dhunuchi competition is organised which requires at least 7-8 sacks of coconut husk. If we don’t get it in bulk, we will restrict it to only aarti hours.”
Sumit Bhowmik of Shashwat Club Puja pandal in sector-9 Vikas Nagar (which too organises dhunuchi dance competitions) opined that shortage could drive prices up, affecting both devotees and organizers of the puja.
Less sustainable alternatives
“Scarcity might lead people to opt for less sustainable alternatives, which could undermine the eco-friendly practices that are increasingly emphasized during religious events,” Bhowmik.
“If not able to arrange husk, one will have to rely on coconut rope or wood etc ,” said Choudhary.
“We have ordered from Kolkata using courier service. We hope it reaches in time,” said Banerjee.
Ram Mahala, a fruit-seller in Bhootnath market, said, “Customers prefer huskless coconuts as they can see the size. Hence, we get huskless coconuts from Mandi itself where it arrives from southern states as huskless.”
Shehnaz Hussain of Dubagga Mandi said, “These coconuts are coming huskless only for a year. Some people prefer husk only for puja purposes but they are few .”
