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Hindustan Times
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Moradabad's dholak makers add festive beat to Ganapati celebrations
THANE: Every year, for the last 70 years, 90 families from the Shaikh community in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, arrive in Kalyan just before the Ganapati festival. They come here with one mission — to make and sell traditional hand-made dholkis, a percussion instrument that adds a magical rhythm to the Ganapati festivities. Kalyan, India - August 07 2025: Members of the Shaikh (Dholki Wali) community from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, craft and sell traditional dholkis in Kalyan during their annual visit—preserving a 70-year legacy of rhythm, craftsmanship, and cultural connection through generations. August 05.. Pic on Thursday in India on 07 2025 - Story By Anamika Gharat ( Photo By Pramod Tambe). From the moment the Ganesha idol arrives, to the aartis, and the final visarjan, or immersion, the beats of the dholak drum up festive cheer. It's as if their rhythm pulses through the heart of the city. These families, from the 'Dholkiwali' community, live in Kalyan for about a month. In that short time, they bring with them not just their instruments but a rich legacy of tradition and hard work passed down through generations. In the narrow lanes of Bail Bazaar in Kalyan West, where these families live, the sound of hammers, ropes and laughter fills the air. Their presence is not just about selling dholkis, it's a cultural exchange, a passion for art, and the joy of togetherness. Mohammad Hasan, a 65-year-old dholki maker, has been coming to Kalyan since he was 15. 'Our seven generations have never missed a single year,' he says proudly. 'The Ganapati festival is very important to us. We bring our material – wood and leather – from our village, where other family members help prepare it. Our dholkis are strong enough to last 5-6 years, if handled well.' Hasan recalls learning to make dholkis when he was a child. 'We never went to school, but we played with tools and wood from a young age. Identifying good wood for dholaks became our game,' he laughs. 'Now, when we cut wood, we plant trees.' The entire village back in Moradabad is involved in the craft. Dholki-making is not just a profession, it's their identity. Men, women, and even children from the community take part in this annual journey. They don't just sell dholkis but also play them during local events and Ganapati celebrations. Many are invited to homes and pandals to perform, adding vigour and rhythm to every aarti and procession. People wait for the dholki beats during Ganpati. Nijam Ali, a 30-year-old dholki maker, has proudly followed in his ancestors' footsteps. 'We don't know how dholki-making became our village's identity, but we love it. We look poor, but we've chosen this work out of love and tradition,' he says. 'The sound, the tightness, the material, every nuance matters. It's an art we've known since birth. Our children are learning it now,' Nijam adds. 'People here celebrate Ganapati with so much excitement and we start preparing from August with the same joy.' During the first 15 days after they arrive in Kalyan, each family makes around 150 dholkis, which they sell during the festive season. Prices range from ₹300 for a child's dholki, to ₹2,000 for the larger ones. Most families earn around ₹15,000 during the season. Despite being a part of the city's festival for decades, some families now face discrimination due to their religious identity. The Dholkiwali community is Muslim, and Khajana Shaikh, 45, revels in the inclusive spirit of the Ganapati festival. 'We've been coming here for 15 years. The municipal staff and police know us well. Often, people invite us into the temples and homes to play dholkis.' In times when social bonds are being replaced with social media and cultural ties are waning, the spirit of the Ganapati festival endures. The Shaikh community remains committed to preserving their tradition, each beat of their dholkis echoing unity, devotion and celebration.
Hindustan Times
09-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Palava flyover a skidding zone, four days after its inauguration
THANE: The Katai-Nilje flyover, commonly known as Palava flyover, was inaugurated on July 4 at the hands of Shiv Sena MLA Rajesh More, from Dombivli. On the same day, two bikers skidded on its surface and suffered minor injuries. Less than a week after its inauguration, the flyover which was positioned as a crucial link to ease traffic congestion between Shilphata and Kalyan, is being ridiculed by commuters as a 'skidding zone', riddled with loose gravel, muddy patches, cement spills and poorly laid tar. The Palava flyover, meant to ease traffic, has turned out to be a danger zone leaving commuters outraged and demanding accountability from authorities. Photo by Pramod Tambe/HT Photo The 562-meter flyover was built at a cost of ₹250 crore; and four days since it was opened to public, 450 meters of the stretch has shown up its poor shape, evidenced by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation's (MSRDC) contractors seen on-site through the day busy patching up the hazardous sections. Ashwini Pawar, an office assistant, who commutes from Shilphata to Kalyan, said, 'We were excited to finally be able to use the flyover thinking it would save time. However, what was envisioned as a symbol of infrastructural progress has now become a glaring example of poor planning, delayed execution and administrative negligence.' Having navigated the deep grooves on the stretch, Amit Yadav, who works in a bank, and travels from Airoli to Badlapur daily, said, 'Even someone with cataract can spot the flaws, to which authorities seemed to have turned a blind eye. I have to ride my bike very slowly over the loose granules and to lessen the constant jerks.' Another frequent traveller, Vaishnav Vinod, observed, 'The flyover was supposed to ease our travel but it looks like a trial track. It's shocking that a newly opened bridge is in such poor condition. If this is the quality after years of delay, what were authorities even working on?' The construction of the flyover began in December 2018. At the time, the plan was to build two parallel flyovers – one from Shilphata (Desai Naka) to Kalyan (Katai Naka), and the other in the reverse direction. However, work was halted in 2020 due to the proposed Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) of Indian Railways. The railways wished to widen the corridor with two extra lines dedicated for freight trains and as the pillars of the flyover were designed to be constructed on these spaces, it requested MSRDC to revise it to accommodate the corridor. The plan was revised in 2020, and following approvals from all stakeholders, construction resumed. The flyover, supported by 45 foundations or pillars, stretches from Desai Creek to Katai toll naka, and is situated on the vital Kalyan-Shilphata corridor, which connects Kalyan-Dombivli to Thane and Navi Mumbai—an area infamous for chronic traffic congestion. When work began, MP Shrikant Shinde had stated the new flyover will help reduce travel time from Katai naka to Navi Mumbai from 45 minutes to just 10 minutes. While he blamed 'technical issues' for the delays, he assured the project would be completed by February 2024. Shinde's empty promise led to protests and public anger. Former Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) MLA from Dombivli Raju Patil had raised the matter of the incomplete flyover twice in the legislative assembly, and also wrote to MSRDC questioning the delay over clearance of encroachments on the route and completion of the reverse side of the flyover. At the time, all he could elicit from authorities was 'the project will be completed soon'. Present MLA More visited the site earlier this year and announced that the deadline of May 31 would be met, which also turned out to be a false claim. The delay led to joint protests by MNS and the Shiv Sena (UBT) who gathered near the flyover questioning the seven-year wait. He was unavailable for comment on the issue on Tuesday. After its inauguration on Friday, Patil returned to the site after reports of multiple two-wheelers skidding surfaced. 'The flyover is completely in bad shape. We spoke to the workers and found that there is no proper mastic asphalt layer, leaving the surface full of granules and uneven patches. The surface coat has vanished, exposing iron rods within,' said Patil, adding that he has demanded a structural audit of the flyover. 'Strict action must be taken against authorities responsible for such state of affairs. The bridge, approved and sanctioned seven years ago, has seen its budget balloon at every MSRDC meeting. Now that the flyover is under scrutiny, officials are avoiding disclosure of the spends,' said Patil. Meanwhile, putting up a defense of its work, MSRDC blamed the flaw on the oil from asphalt. An MSRDC official, who did not wish to be named, said, 'The newly laid asphalt had become slippery in some locations. Hence, as a precautionary measure grit was spread on the surface. After that no slippery incidence was observed.' He added, pictures of the rough surface being shared on social media are not that 'of potholes but accumulation of grit which was removed later'. The state of the newly-opened flyover led retired government officer Raju Gokhale to say, 'It takes real talent to spend crores and still deliver a bridge that feels like a disaster zone from day one. It's not just poor execution but an insult on efforts towards public safety.
Hindustan Times
28-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Luxury flat turned drug den: Three from Mumbra held in ₹2 crore mephedrone haul in Dombivli
THANE: In a late-night raid, the Manpada police on Thursday busted a drug racket operating out of a luxury flat in Dombivli's upscale Khoni-Palava area, seizing nearly 2 kg of banned synthetic drug mephedrone (MD) valued at ₹ 2.12 crore. Three young accused — including a 21-year-old woman — were arrested from the flat, all residents of Mumbra, who had allegedly been passing themselves off as call centre employees. Kalyan, India - June 27 2025: Manpada police officers display seized packets of mephedrone (MD) worth ?2.12 crore during a late-night raid at a high-rise in Dombivli's Khoni-Palava area on June 26.. Pic on Wednesday in India on 27 2025 - Story By Anamika Gharat ( Photo By Pramod Tambe) The raid was carried out around 11 pm, following a tip-off received by the Kalyan Division's anti-narcotics team. According to deputy commissioner of police Atul Zende, the trio had rented the apartment under false pretences and were using it as a base to stockpile and distribute mephedrone across Thane and surrounding urban pockets. The network reportedly extended to school zones and youth-centric neighbourhoods. Mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant banned under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, is known for its cocaine-like high and dangerous health risks — including cardiac arrest, seizures, and psychosis. When police stormed the flat, they found 1.93 kg of the drug packed for supply. While the prime accused was caught on the spot, his two accomplices — including the woman — attempted to flee but were tracked down and nabbed within hours. Police officials said the arrested woman played a key role in the logistics and delivery arm of the racket. Investigators believe the accused had been friends since their school days and conspired to enter the drug trade to 'make quick money'. 'They had told their families they were working as interns at a call centre in Pune. In reality, they were living in a plush rented apartment in Dombivli and selling MD at prices ranging from ₹ 8,000 to ₹ 11,000 per gram,' said a Manpada police officer. All three have been booked under multiple sections of the NDPS Act, including 8(c), 21(c), and 22(c), which pertain to the possession and trafficking of commercial quantities of banned substances. Senior police inspector Sandipan Shinde and crime inspector Ram Chopde, who led the operation, said multiple police teams are now working to trace at least three more suspects believed to be part of the larger trafficking ring. 'This wasn't just a local supply module,' a senior official said. 'They were running an organised network from a high-security gated community, banking on the anonymity offered by posh urban housing.' Officials said further investigations are underway to uncover the scale of their operations and whether the racket has ties to larger interstate drug syndicates.
