Lalitpur, October 13:

Younger generation of the Kulu community, a Newar sub-caste specialised in making traditional percussions, in Patan are finding their ancestral occupation less attractive and looking for alternatives.

Yeshoj Kunal, 20, learnt the skill of making and mending traditional musical instruments from his father Madan Kaji Kunal but he is losing his interest in this profession.

Yeshoj, a trained professional dancer at the Lunjhya Kala Kunja, helps his father with making the musical instruments only when there are bulk orders for such during the festive seasons.

There is a huge demand for damaru in Dashain and these days he helps making madal for Tihar.

“My father has earned a good name in this occupation and people from different part of Lalitpur come here for service,” he said, “but one cannot progress in life just being limited to this field.” Though demand for instruments like madal, damaru and others are high Dashain, Tihar, Teej and other jatras in Patan, young Kulus like Yeshoj find this less attractive.

“This field can be really productive only if one can make huge investment,” he said. Of 10 kulu households in Patan only seven are carrying on with their traditional profession, Shyam Lal Nepali Kulu said. Shyam has expanded his business and opened a showroom of traditional musical instruments. “Younger generation in our family are educated and prefer other jobs. They do not like to work with leather,” said Shyam Lal.

Sachin Kunal, 18, is making a good living by making musical instruments but he says this is not a lucrative job.

Sachin, a school dropout, has not ventured for other opportunities besides this profession and being new to this field his skill is not much in demand till date.

The percussion instruments the Kulus make are dhime, damaru, pachima, khi, konchakhi, madal, paulakhi, dwakhi, dha, bayan, nyakhi, damfu, tabla among others and locals from as far as Charikot, Chautara, Charbhanjyang, Dolkha come to Patan to buy instruments or get them mend.