Lathore: Until about three months ago, Binod Suna, a drummer by profession living in Jalpankel village of Khaprakhol block in Bolangir district, used to start his days by preparing his drum.
Now he is selling vegetables to keep the pot boiling back home, thanks to the coronavirus outbreak and its subsequent restrictions.
Binod says that when he was 15 years old he had to leave his education midway due to his family’s poor financial condition. His father then used to run the family by beating Ganda drum. Ganda drum is a traditional percussion instrument and the drummer is sought during any auspicious occasion like 21st day ceremony, birthday celebration, marriages etc. In fact, beating the Ganda drum is passed down generations.
After leaving school, Binod started assisting his father and became a Ganda drummer himself. People would call him in case they have any family function and this would keep his hands full of orders all year round.
But the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown restrictions rendered him jobless and moneyless. It was when his meager savings exhausted that he started looking out for alternative ways to run his family. His family comprises of his wife Koushalya and two daughters – Nilima and Devika. Then the idea of selling vegetables came to his mind. Now he moves from villages to villages carrying vegetable bags on his bicycle.
“I am receiving a ration of 20 kilogram rice from the panchayat. But the government did not declare any package for drummers. Since I don’t know anything else other than beating drums, I find selling vegetable suitable for me. Now I am earning Rs 150 to 200 daily as profit and thankful to the god for showing me a path to get out of the difficult phase,” he added.
PNN