Pune: As the beats of dhol-tasha practice sessions grow louder with the festive season approaching, the Pune police have found an unusual but simple way to turn down the volume — asking troupes to cover their drums with bedsheets, light mattresses and jute bags.Following instructions from the Pune police, troupes practising in Sahakarnagar, Parvati, Aranyeshwar, Maharshinagar, Katraj and the old parts of the city are using these materials to suppress the sound without having to stop their practice sessions.“We had issued directives to dhol-tasha troupes to use blankets, jute bags and mattresses over the dhol so that the sound can be suppressed,” deputy commissioner of police (Zone II) Milind Mohite told TOI.“We do not want to halt their practice sessions, which help them hone their skills in playing these traditional musical instruments. However, elderly residents from Sahakarnagar, Parvati, Aranyeshwar, Maharshinagar and Katraj were calling the police control room every day to complain about the loud dhol-tasha beats,” Mohite said.“Every day, beat marshals used to visit these troupes and request them to stop practising or reduce the number of dhol being played. We then came up with the idea of reducing the sound of the instruments without hindering their practice. Since then, the number of calls made to the control room has reduced significantly,” Mohite said.A senior police officer said complaints were earlier particularly high during the evening and night hours. “Earlier, we used to receive around 100 calls a day, especially in the evening and at night. Some mandals used to play dhol-tasha till 10.30pm, while some continued beyond the permitted hours. Our teams would visit these sites and stop troupe members from playing,” he said.“The majority of dhol-tasha troupes are following our request and using techniques to reduce the sound of the dhol. They are using wet jute bags and mattresses, and the number of complaints has gone down,” deputy commissioner of police (Zone I) Krushikesh Rawale told TOI.“We have also requested them to display the slogan ‘Say No to Drugs’ on the dhol to spread awareness among youngsters,” Rawale said.Shirish Thite, treasurer of the Maharashtra Dhol-Tasha Mahasangh, said they held a meeting with the Pune police commissioner to discuss the issue.“We had a meeting with the Pune police commissioner, during which we discussed the issue of loud noise produced during practice sessions. We then urged our troupe members to use jute bags, mattresses or blankets to suppress the sound of the dhol,” he told TOI.The city has around 170 dhol-tasha pathak.“We have taken adequate precautions to avoid confrontations with affected residents. Our teams visit troupes that violate the practice timings of 6pm to 9.30pm and tell them to stop playing the instruments,” he said.“These are traditional instruments, and playing them is an art that requires practice,” Thite added.
