Mahuri on the verge of extinction

BERHAMPUR: Lack of patronage due to advent of urbanisation has started to threaten the existence of ‘Mahuri', a traditional musical instrument of Orissa. This wind instrument also happens to be an integral part of different folk dance and folk theatre forms like Prahlad Natak, Jodi Sankha, Ranapa, Ram Natak, Chadheya etc. The number of troupes of these folk art forms has also reduced during recent times. The Ram Natak folk theatre form has almost died. Reduction of these folk dance and folk theatre form has also led to reduction in the number of Mahuri players.

But the existing ‘Mahuri' players are worried about lack of use of this instrument during auspicious occasions like marriages, vrata ceremony, puja etc. ‘Mahuri' is also known as ‘Mukhaveena' and traditionally is considered ‘Mangal Vadya' or auspicious musical instrument, said Bighneswar Sahu, the adviser of the famous Narendrapur Kala Vikash Kendra, which continues to keep alive various traditional folk art forms of south Orissa.

According to Mr. Sahu, the ‘Mahuri' players are mostly Dalits. As the income from playing ‘Mahuri' has gone down, the new generation of the ‘Mahuri' artists is no more interested to learn this traditional instrument. A senior ‘Mahuri' artist of the State S.Linga from Raghunathpur said only his son is learning to play this wind instrument while the sons of his other brothers have not taken up playing ‘Mahuri' as a profession.

But traditionally they were a family of ‘Mahuri' players. Mr. Linga said it has become hard to earn a living from ‘Mahuri' playing.

In this era of electronic instruments, the urbanites as well as urbanised rural families have started to forget that ‘Mahuri' was part and parcel of any auspicious occasion in a family, said Mr. Sahu. Few decades back ‘Mahuri' was a dire need during auspicious occasions but a section of new generation has started to feel ashamed for the use of this instrument during family functions like marriage.

Source: The Hindu