Jeypore: For some, art is a passion, for others, it’s a source of joy and entertainment, while for a few, it becomes an identity. However, for certain artists, art turns into a compassionate friend during tough times. After losing his father at the age of 15, Kunjabihari Singh, an artist from Madala Sahi in Jaypur, became self-reliant through his art, earning a livelihood and supporting his family.
Kunjabihari found a means to earn a living through playing the dholak. In 2024, he performed over 150 programs, showcasing his skills on the dholak, tabla, and other percussion instruments, earning both appreciation and a good income.
His father, Muna Singh, used to perform on the dholak for All India Radio. Inspired by this, Kunjabihari learned to play the dholak from a young age and participated in devotional singing events at the Madala Sahi temple. Although his father wanted to teach him more formally, young Kunjabihari was not very interested at first.
In 2012, while Kunjabihari was in high school, he lost his father unexpectedly. This tragedy forced him to pause his studies. After his mother passed away in 2014, the full responsibility of supporting the family fell on his shoulders.
Although his father had left behind a dholak, Kunjabihari initially struggled to play it well. At that time, his maternal uncle gifted him a new dholak, which motivated him to practice seriously. Under the guidance of late Somnath Karba, a Grade-A artist from All India Radio, he refined his skills.
Master of Traditional Percussion
Kunjabihari became proficient in playing various traditional rhythms like Karba and Dadra, as well as tribal percussion instruments. He now aspires to train the next generation of artists. Today, he is recognized as a skilled dholak and tabla player in his region, inspiring many young artists.
Twelve years ago, when he performed at an event, he earned only ₹1,500. At that time, he used to get opportunities for just 5 to 6 programs a year. However, with hard work and dedication, he established himself as a renowned artist, now earning around ₹3,000 per performance.
Apart from performing, he also learned advanced dholak and tabla techniques from experienced artists. His mastery in different rhythms allowed him to collaborate with various musical groups, including opportunities to perform with orchestras like Taratari Night Queen Orchestra under the mentorship of K. Santosh Rao.
For the past 15 years, Kunjabihari has been the sole breadwinner for his family, taking care of his mother Pushpa and his younger siblings. He is currently preparing for his younger sister Dipti’s marriage this year.
In addition to the dholak and tabla, he has mastered tribal instruments like Tumba, Nakanakidi, Dhamo, and Nishan. Until 2018, he faced financial challenges despite his dedication to art, but he supplemented his income with small jobs.
Looking ahead, Kunjabihari hopes to train the next generation in the art of playing the tabla and dholak, preserving traditional music for the future.