JAJPUR: Mohuri, a unique wind musical instrument, is on the verge of extinction in the State due to lack of government patronage.It is usually played during functions like wedding, ‘bratopanayan’ or any form of worship. With each passing day, the number of mohuri players - known as mohurias who adopted this age-old profession as the lone source of livelihood - are on the decline.
The mohurias, who were earning their livelihood from this age-old practice, are mostly sitting idle now. Most of them have abandoned the profession and adopted begging to eke out a living. With no demand for the skill, a handful of old men who still hold on to this profession, have been facing difficulties to keep the art alive.
“Playing mohuri is our family business but the tradition has almost become extinct because it does not help in earning our bread and butter at the present times. Apart from playing mohuri, earlier we used to get handsome returns by conducting vasectomy operation on live stock and selling jute products like rope shelf, string and tether,” said Narayan Nayak (75) of Nathuabar village.
“Now we have become useless as plastic replaced the jute items and people started conducting vasectomy operation on their live stock at the government veterinary hospital free of cost. People remember us only when rendition of this musical instrument is needed, particularly on auspicious or religious occasions,” said the septuagenarian mohuri player. “I am forced to go begging in order to feed my five members as playing mohuri is not fetching,” he added.
Mohurias are mostly seen in many parts of Rasulpur, Dasarathapur, Bari and Jajpur blocks in the district.
“Playing mohuri was our family profession for decades. But it could not yield enough to support our family. I am being forced by my family to give up this profession and start some other work, which will pay us dividends. Many of my fellow villagers have quit and they are now selling vegetables on roadsides,” said Babaji Nayak of the village.
However, there are some old mohurias who have kept up the art of playing mohuri against all odds despite living in penury. “Despite all odds, a handful of mohurias have preserved the age-old profession,” said Rama Chandra Sahu, a researcher.