Post News Network
Kakatpur: Singa, a traditional musical instrument made of buffalo horn, may face extinction due to raw material crunch and low demand among the youth.
Singa was the most sought-after musical instrument for hundreds of families of milkmen of several villages near the Prachi valley during religious festivals, sources said. These included Kakatpur, Mangalpur, Bajapur, Othaka, Boitidiha, Sudhabarimula, Sirikoili, Mathuridiha, Nageswar, Gajabar and Ambapada
Milkmen of the villages, which also include Narasinghapur, Bahadapatna, Betenda, Sarakula, Karang and Balikuda, used to play the Singa during festivals including Dola, Sivaratri and Makaryatra. They also used to play the Singa during consecration of temples and organisation of yagyas.
Kings and feudal chieftains had also appointed a few milkmen to play the Singa during wars, sources said. “The sound of the Singa was recognised as the symbol of valour. The importance of the Singa has gone down significantly in recent days,” said a researcher on traditional musical instruments.
The process of preparing a Singa out of buffalo horn is intricate, according to sources. “We collect good quality horns from dead buffalos and keep them in cow dung for a fortnight. Bamboo flakes are fixed to the processed horns for preparing Singas. Only one Singa can be made from a good quality buffalo horn,” said Raghu Behera, a milkman of Sudhabarimula.
The fall in the number of indigenous varieties of buffalos in recent years has led to a shortage of raw material for the preparation of Singas, according to the people of the area. “A Singa cannot be made out of the horns of any variety of buffalo. The horns of mature indigenous varieties of buffalo are most suitable for making a Singa. It is very difficult to find proper raw material for making the musical instrument,” Behera said.
A few people of the area also blamed the lack of enthusiasm among the youth for the drop on demand for the traditional musical instrument. “The youth are not keen to use the Singa. Now, only a few persons play the musical instrument during festivals,” said a resident of the area.
