The main attraction of Mumbai-Pune Ganeshotsav is the Dhol-Tasha Pathak. Various Pathaks across Maharashtra are already making vigorous preparations. People from all over the world come to Pune to see Ganeshotsav with Dhol-Tasha. Meanwhile, the state's first transgender Dhol-Tasha Pathak in Pune is also getting ready to showcase his art in celebration of the arrival and immersion of Lord Shri Ganesha.
For the first time, transgenders in Pune's Market Yard area have come together to form a 'Shikhandi' dhol-tasha group. It consists of several teams and each team has 25 to 30 members. According to a transgender member of the team, transgenders are working in various fields today. Ganeshotsav is the pride of Pune and Pune is the cultural capital of the state. We wanted to play dhol-tasha in this Ganeshotsav. No one was willing to include us in their group. But we were sure that if we started our own group, we would also get a chance to perform somewhere. 'We started playing dhol-tasha at the end of July. We were taught to play these instruments by the Nadabrahma dhol-tasha pathak. We will also present instruments of our Paathaach in the one-and-a-half-day and seven-day viram this year.
Another member of the troupe hoped that they would get an opportunity to perform in front of five reputed Ganesh Mandals and Shrimant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandal. Their team currently has 20 to 25 musicians. Next year they are looking to expand this team.