Rudrang Dhol-Tasha Trust Honours Padma Shri Tarpa Maestro Bhiklya Ladkya Dhinda
Dhol-Tasha Community Felicitates Padma Shri Tarpa Maestro Bhiklya Ladkya Dhinda
Pune: “My great-grandfather Navshya and my grandfather Dhakalya used to play the Tarpa. After them, Dhakalya’s son Ladkya carried forward the tradition, and today I, Bhiklya, play the Tarpa. This instrument is our family legacy. Now my grandchildren and great-grandchildren are learning it, and along with them, I have trained nearly sixty to seventy people,” said renowned Padma Shri awardee and Tarpa maestro Bhiklya Ladkya Dhinda.
He further said, “God has given us life. It is for us to think with a clear mind. Only when our actions are guided by good thoughts can true progress be achieved.”
He was speaking after being felicitated during the Instrument Worship Ceremony organised on the occasion of the 10th anniversary celebrations of Rudrang Dhol-Tasha Trust, Pune.
The ceremony was attended by MLA Hemant Rasane, Deepakbhau Nagpure, Corporator Rajendra Kakade, Corporator Apoorva Khade, Corporator Pooja Jagade, actor Ramesh Pardeshi (Pityabhai), Nitin Pandit, Ashish Kante, Devendra Wadke, Amit Palaskar, Shirish Thite, Ganesh Deshpande, Mayur Dhamale, along with office-bearers of various Dhol-Tasha groups and Ganesh festival mandals from across the city.
On the occasion, Amar Bhalerao, President of Rudrang Dhol-Tasha Trust, introduced Padma Shri Bhiklya Ladkya Dhinda and also announced the Instagram Reel Competition to be organised by the Trust.
Bhalerao said, “Pune’s Ganesh Festival is renowned across the world, and Dhol-Tasha is an integral part of Pune’s cultural identity. As Dhol-Tasha artists, we felt that one musical tradition should honour another. With this objective, on the occasion of the Trust’s 10th anniversary, we felicitated Padma Shri Tarpa maestro Bhiklya Ladkya Dhinda.” He added that the event was organised by Trust President Amar Bhalerao, Shrinivas Nigde, Amol Shukla, Tushar Damgude, Amit Ghule and Nilesh Wavare, while Parag Thakur, President of the Dhol-Tasha Mahasangh, guided the event. “Preserving Maharashtra’s cultural heritage is our collective responsibility, and this felicitation is our contribution towards that cause,” he said.
Explaining the uniqueness of the Tarpa, Dhinda said, “The Tarpa is played for divine worship. It is a sacred instrument dedicated to God. It is played entirely through breath. Just as a tree sways when the wind blows, the Tarpa comes alive when breath is blown into it. It is made from a coconut leaf, two bamboo pipes and a dried bottle gourd. The Tarpa has both male and female sections, and both require an equal flow of breath, just as the human body needs breath to survive.”
Speaking on the occasion, MLA Hemant Rasane said that Pune’s Ganesh Festival has a glorious 135-year-old tradition. “In the early days, volunteers themselves erected pandals, decorated them and collected public donations. The arrival of the festival was felt nearly two months in advance. Today, the inauguration of Dhol-Tasha groups marks the beginning of the Ganesh Festival. Every era has brought new changes, but throughout this journey, the Ganesh Festival has played a significant role in preserving our religion, culture and traditions,” he said.
