Hyderabad’s brass bands keep Ganesh procession tradition alive

Despite the growing popularity of DJ systems during Hyderabad’s Ganesh processions, traditional brass bands continue to attract patrons. From the nearly 130-year-old Pentiah Band to newer establishments, generations of musicians are keeping the city’s brass-band tradition alive.

HYDERABAD: As towering idols of Lord Ganesha take to the streets for the annual processions, the soundscape of Hyderabad is increasingly dominated by powerful DJ systems. Yet, amid the booming speakers and electronic beats, the brass band continues to march to its own rhythm, its uniformed musicians lending a distinct old-world charm to the festivities.

Dressed in matching uniforms and moving in formation, musicians with trumpets, saxophones, clarinets, drums and other instruments remain a familiar sight during Ganesh processions. For many organisers, the live performance of a brass band carries a sense of tradition and dignity that recorded music cannot quite replicate.

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One of the city’s oldest names in the business is Pentiah Band, which traces its origins to musician Kadiah, who played the dappu and tash. It was his grandson Pentiah who turned the family’s musical tradition into a commercial enterprise.

Pentiah learnt to play the clarinet while performing with the official music band of the Nizam of Hyderabad and later mastered several other instruments during his leisure hours. He eventually established the Modern Song Band, around 130 years ago, says his great-grandson B Vijay Kumar.

After Pentiah died in 1974, his sons Surender Kumar and Vijay Kumar took over the business and renamed it Pentiah Band.

“During the Ganesh festival, the demand increases considerably. We have about 50 musicians divided into different teams during the festival, compared with around 30 on regular days,” says B Vijay Kumar.

The charges are usually around Rs 3,000 per musician, making a full brass band performance a significant expense. Yet, there are still patrons willing to pay for the visual and musical spectacle of uniformed musicians accompanying a procession.

At Lal Darwaza, Venkat of Sri Srinivasa Band Company says a section of customers continues to prefer traditional bands for Ganesh immersion processions.

“Most of our regular customers are from the Marwari Samaj and a few other North Indian communities. They prefer a sober, uniformed band rather than a loud DJ system,” he says.

Venkat has been running the band company for nearly three decades and learnt the craft from his ancestors, who established the company about 70 years ago.

For these musicians, the Ganesh festival is more than a seasonal business opportunity. It is also a stage on which a musical tradition passed down through generations gets another outing on Hyderabad’s streets.