This group of musicians comes through our colony about once a week playing the dholak(drum), tambourine, and hand cymbals, while singing songs. They go throughout the city playing music to earn money. Sometimes people will come outside of their homes to give them small amounts of money.
The tradition of these types of music groups roaming the streets and playing for money is actually quite interesting. In Indian history, and still today, people with leprosy were banned from acquiring normal jobs or living in normal quarters. Leper colonies were even created (at least 1,000 in India) for those that were plagued with leprosy. Without many opportunities for jobs from employers, brilliance of mind and musical creativity opened this opportunity for ailing lepers to earn a living in society.
These days the traditions still continues and some people, like the ones you see in this video, are still able to earn money and provide for themselves while living with a crippling disease.
The tradition of these types of music groups roaming the streets and playing for money is actually quite interesting. In Indian history, and still today, people with leprosy were banned from acquiring normal jobs or living in normal quarters. Leper colonies were even created (at least 1,000 in India) for those that were plagued with leprosy. Without many opportunities for jobs from employers, brilliance of mind and musical creativity opened this opportunity for ailing lepers to earn a living in society.
These days the traditions still continues and some people, like the ones you see in this video, are still able to earn money and provide for themselves while living with a crippling disease.
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