SWABI, Aug 13: Khursheed Khan, a drummer of the residential colonies of Tarbela Dam, has kept alive the tradition of beating drums to awaken people for Sehri even in this modern age.

The residents of the area said they had sophisticated sirens at Tarbela Dam but despite that they waited for Khursheed's drum to get up for Sehri. They said that tradition of drum beating was still intact in different areas of the district.

“I have been beating drum in the residential colonies for the last six years for divine reward. People not only give me respect but also gifts and cash before Eid. The women take pity on me and acknowledge my role,” Mr Khan old Dawn.

In the seven residential colonies of Tarbela Dam, the last week of Ramazan is always very interesting. The youngsters wait for the arrival of drummer and start dancing as he reaches near. During the last two days of Ramazan, the drummer gets cash and gifts from people.

“The drum beating tradition was intact when construction of Tarbela Dam started in 1970s,” recalled retired employees Shamsur Rehman and Khan Zada.

They said that people living in the residential colonies of Tarbela Dam belonged to different areas but they kept the tradition alive.

Besides Tarbela, the tradition is also intact in Gadoon region and despite introduction of various modern instruments people prefer to receive a get up call from the drummers.

“It is an old practice, adopted by our ancestors owing to lack of facilities in ancient times, however, the tradition has not only witnessed a gradual decline in Pakhtun region but it has completely disappeared from many areas,” said some elderly persons of the area. They said that they were proud of keeping the tradition intact.

Nisar Khan, a resident of Gadoon, said that drummers went from streets to streets in their area to awaken people, especially women to prepare Sehri.

The invention of cellular phone, loudspeaker, television and alarm clock has affected the drum beating tradition to great extent. The sons of most of drummers have switched over to other professions.

In old times, people would rely on prayer leaders and drummers for Iftar and Sehri. “Once upon a time, black clouds covered the skies in Ramazan. We thought it was evening. The prayer leader of our village made call for Maghrib prayers. We broke fasting and offered prayers. We were astonished to see that after a few minutes the sun suddenly appeared from the clouds,” said Fazal Khan of Maner Bala, quoting his late father.

Mohammad Shafiq, a resident of Topi, said that alarm clock remained set and cellular phone was placed under his pillow but his mother did not give any importance to those modern instruments and relied on the drummer for getting up for Sehri.