Sohan Lal of Tehri Garhwal felicitated with hony. Doctorate for Dhol Sagar at HNB Garhwal university
The Hemwati Nandan Garhwal University has in its tenth convocation ceremony felicitated a 57 year old Pujar Village, Chandra Badni resident in Tehri Garhwal with honorary doctorate degree in a glittering function at Srinagar university campus for outstanding “Dhol Vadan and also known as Dhol Sagar”, traditional ancient drumming practice ( art) since the age of merely five years. His name is Sohan Lal.
Kindly recall that Dhol Sagar is an ancient Indian treatise on the art of playing Dhol Damao, the folk instruments of the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand extremely popular in the himalayan state with sincere efforts being made to preserve this ancient traditional culture.
Though this outstanding tradition is not in written form but had been orally transmitted within the traditional drumming families.
Sohan Lal who commenced his traditional drumming ( Dhol Damau) practice at the mere age of 5 year amidst extreme poverty, this art also used to earn livelihood by elders of the family – is highly experienced and fully trained with dexterity in various forms of musical cum singing narration n playing of musical instruments viz Goril, Nagaraja, Disha Dhakudi, Bagadwal including Dhol vadan ( drumming).
An invaluable asset to Uttarakhand society Sohan Lal learnt Dhol Damau Vadan from his father Granthi Dass at the age of mere five years and also learnt singing traditional songs inclusively like Chaitwali, Nagaraja etc from his well versed mother Mrs Lauga Devi along with drumming.
As a result since his childhood days highly talented Dhol Vadan specialist Sohan Lal continued singing and drumming including playing of other forms of traditional music at Sidhpeeth Maa Chandra Badni ( dirty) temple, extremely popular in Tehri Garhwal where throng hundreds of devotees from different parts of the country, including the locals.
According to the prestigious Sangeet Natak Sahitya Academy Award winner ( to be delivered) Dr Purohit who’s contribution in promoting and preserving the Garhwal, Kumaoni theatre and culture in tremendous, in Sinsinati university, Sohan Lal has trained the foreigners ( music students) namely Stephan Thirmaol and Australian Professor Andrew Alter in Dhol Sagar art and are further delivering training to other foreign students.
Expressing his immense jubilation over his felicitation with honorary Doctorate Degree Sohan Lal said that raising the morale of traditional artists of the traditional ancient music and instruments like Dhol Damau, and other traditional musical instruments is indeed an outstanding contribution to Uttarakhand.
This will not only encourage the budding artists following traditional cultural music n instruments but will also help promote and preserve our invaluable cultural heritage said Sohan Lal.
During this ocassion according to Dr. Purohit not only with 4531 students were accorded their degrees including 76 degrees of PhD and 276 graduation degrees, 76 gold medals were also delivered for outstanding performances to students.
The chief guest on the ocassion were chairman of Pahal Foundation and former chief of Niti Ayog Dr. Rajiv Kumar.
