“Jhal,” Uncle Raghu shouts, as he beats a huge drum down the East Coast Highway. We were at the back of a pick-up truck and he was shouting at one of his students, who was tasked with knocking the Jhal together. The Jhal is actually a miniature cymbal.
Uncle Raghu is one of the most renowned drummers in Guyana. He is 67 years old and has been playing the drums since he was a child. He has a semi-circle of white hair, wrinkles of experience and hands that are strong like bamboo.
Uncle Raghu can make nineteen drums, including African drums. He is a former teacher of Mathematics, but drumming is in his veins. The retired teacher now teaches children to play the drums, and plays at Indian cultural events, mostly weddings. I first met Uncle Raghu at the National Cultural Centre; he was at a rehearsal for a rendition of the epic religious Indian play, Ramlila.
I introduced myself to him. He smiled and said, “Ohh, you’s the boy that wanna do an article for Stabroek News…well listen man, a got a wedding tomorrow, if you wanna see what the drumming is really like, you got to come to de wedding to really understand de thing.” And that was it, I was invited to my first Hindu wedding and my heart pounded with excitement.
The next morning I found myself in a bus to Atlantic Gardens. When I arrived, I called Uncle Raghu and asked him for directions. “Oh ya here, well listen