One woman army

Arishma Maryam on taking up dhol playing, upcoming tour to India

LAHORE:

Percussion instruments are an inherent part of the region’s Sufi shrines. They dominate gatherings at shrines and stir up the atmosphere during the many nocturnal sessions; anyone who has paid a visit to Lal Shahbaz Qalandar’s shrine in Sehwan Sharif or Shah Jamal in Lahore would get the exact picture in their head.

However, one can argue that the dhol is an instrument that holds great significance for both the shrine culture and Pakistani folk music. It is both loud and unforgiving and demands superhuman strength and musical prowess from the player; possibly the reason why few aspiring musicians take it up professionally.

In recent times we have seen several female dhol players hit the mainstream. Arishma Maryam is another such individual to whom societal taboos matter little. A student of O Level at Lahore Grammar School, she can rightfully be called Pakistan’s youngest female dhol player. Within a short period she has managed to catch the eye of many in the Lahore’s music circles and has been a regular performer at numerous events. Only recently she returned from an international tour, playing in the US, Canada and Malaysia. Maryam now has a tour of India on the cards. “I will be performing live in various cities of India,” she tells The Express Tribune.



The dhol player holds that playing the instrument is indeed not easy for girls in a society like ours. “Women are not allowed to play at shrines. When I started out, my family and relatives discouraged me and that was quite depressing,” she recalls. However, Maryam stuck to her guns and almost three years ago, renowned dhol player Gunga Sain admitted her as a disciple and with his help she managed to make her dream come true. “My female friends always ask me how I am able to play the dhol for hours at a stretch. I think there’s more to it than the physical aspect. If you are able to connect with the instrument on a spiritual level, you forget everything else.”

Although music and modelling are her areas of interest, dhol is one instrument that fascinated her the most. “The amount of energy and skill that it demands from the player is unbelievable. It is a game of immense physical and mental strength,” she says.

Seeing a woman play the dhol is quite a spectacle for many. During shows that have a large number of male audiences, it does make the performer slightly conscious. However, to Maryam it makes little difference. “I know it is not easy but I think if you really believe in what you’re doing, you can do away with all these taboos,” she maintains. Maryam today feels it is the very instrument that has given her an identity.

A ‘one woman army’ of sorts, she does not believe in forming a band or working with a group of musicians. “I will not join any band. It becomes difficult to calibrate your own vision with that of others and hinders your progress,” she says.

She is also working on her singing and plans on releasing an album that will include covers of famous Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan tracks. “Israr Shah is writing the other songs for me and Jawad Ali is producing the tracks,” she says.

Maryam feels there is a need for music academies that strictly focus on teaching tricks of the trade to women. “The government can easily do so and with state support, young girls will have more confidence and will be able to take up music professionally.” She herself has plans of setting up an academy in Lahore at some point and teaching girls how to play the dhol.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2016.

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