Karachi’s once-popular ‘bajaj wala’ now struggles to put food on the table
KARACHI: Muhammad Rafiq Abbasi pushed a wheelbarrow full of water tanks to make a delivery to a nearby building. After completing the delivery, he went into a small warehouse in a narrow street in Karachi’s Old Ramswami area to pick up a drum. As he banged on the instrument, clouds of dust flew up, evoking memories of a glorious past.
Music bands have traditionally been an integral part of Pakistani weddings. Also known as “bajaj wala”, these bands played traditional, energetic tunes accompanied by the sounds of double-sided drums and trumpets, also known locally as “dhol”, adding gaiety and fervor to wedding celebrations.
However, over the decades, as music adopted more modern themes and DJs at weddings became more popular, the demand for traditional wedding bands went away. Many of the people who used to play popular tunes at weddings and celebration parties turned to other professions to keep their families from starving.
“I was an artist once, what about now?” asked Abbasi, 60. “I work as a labourer, I go to buildings and deliver water.”
A decade ago, Abbasi owned one of 30 Bajaj Wala shops in Karachi’s Ramswami area, where a Bajaj Wala had been for nearly 60 years. An auto-parts dealer took over the shop about 10 years ago after sales of wedding rings fell.
“This area was once called Baha Gali. [street] “From here to there,” Abbasi explained. He said he temporarily moved his shop to Karachi’s Garden District, but it was in such “disrepair” that many like him were forced to quit and become labourers.
“Now we have no means and our belongings are scattered,” he lamented.
Zaheer Ahmed, who got married in 1982, recalled the grand display of his wedding ring when he got married and the time when the bajaj wala was an essential part of every joyous occasion in Pakistan.
“There was a certain atmosphere at weddings for the bajaj wala and they were always invited,” Ahmed told Arab News. “It felt like the wedding was not complete without them.”
A photo taken on June 1, 2024 shows musicians performing at a wedding in Karachi, Pakistan. (AN Photo)
Noor Muhammad Abdul Ghafoor, also known as “Noora”, is one of the few who still runs the bandh from his small shop opposite Jalan Baha Ghali. To make a living, he provides transportation for school children.
“People would call us whenever there was a happy event: a birthday, a party, someone buying a new house, starting a business, a gas station opening,” Gafoor said. “Those were the happy events.”
But times have changed since then.
“Now even all joy has become worthless,” Gafoor said. “We have this art but nobody pays attention to us. Nobody comes to us anymore.”
Shahid Ali is the bandmaster working at Noora. He leads a team of eight, consisting of four drummers and an equal number of trumpeters. Waving a traditional bandmaster’s stick, he issues instructions to his team as they play popular tunes like Sera, Shadmani, Ladi and Bhangra.
Ali alleged that solo drummers have led to a decline in the sale of wedding bands, saying their rates are less than Rs 1,000. [$3.60] As rates increase across the board, pressure is placed on wedding bands to lower their rates.
He added that wedding rings are not very profitable and customers pay between Rs 10,000-12,000. [$35.96-43.15] Range. Of this, Rs. 4,000 [$14.38] Only used for commuting.
“After dividing the rest, each band member will get only Rs 700. [$2.52]Ali explained, “If something special happens from above because people donate, [tips] We feel some support from there.”
Ali’s father and grandfather were also members of musical bands, and he says there was a time when bajaj wala were respected and even featured in films and TV dramas.
“It wasn’t about the money, I was just happy,” Ali said. “The TV people stopped calling me, and even that ended.”
Ali called on the government to recognise and respect wedding rings, saying they bring joy to people through art.
“In my opinion, the government should recognise us and let us sit here,” he said, pointing to his head.
“Darkness has come and it has become dark, so we pray to Allah to give us a ray of hope.”
