Bolpur: Durga Pujas in Canada will miss reverberating drum beats by dhakis or drummers, who were supposed to go to the country during the Durga Puja. They were denied visas this time over India-Canada diplomatic row.
Also read: Bengal's dhakis face uncertain future amid COVID pandemic
Bengal's dhakis are most sought after for their unique performance during the Bengalees' biggest festival. Durgotsav or Durga Puja of Bengal has earned a UNESCO heritage tag due to its sheer appeal and volume.
And in all these pujas, idols and puja materials are exported from Bengal. Even, cultural groups visit foreign lands to perform during the Durga Puja. Similarly, this time Birbhum's Chhau artists and drama groups of Adityapur and Bolpur were scheduled to go to Canada. Besides, a group of dhakis from Ratanpur village in Santiniketan were also supposed to go to Canada.
Chhau dancer Sukumar Das and dhaki Ramprasad Das said, "This was the first time we were supposed to go abroad. We were happy initially but our joy was short-lived as we were denied visa at the last minute. We're feeling very bad now."
Durga Puja has become a global festival as apart from Bengal, it is celebrated across different countries of the world. For example, Durga Puja is also celebrated in countries like the USA, UK, Germany, Japan, Canada, the African continent, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, and some other countries.
They were denied visas due to the India-Canada diplomatic tension which arose out of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Truadeau's allegation of India's hand in Khalistani terrorist Nijjar's killing. Bilateral ties soured between India and Canada after his explosive allegations. India designated Nijjar as a terrorist in 2020.
