Crafting gogos for a living

TANGLA, March 24: Come Rongali Bihu and Ratul Deka, a craftsman of Bengabora village, a remote hamlet near Kalaigaon, will gear up for his fair share of contribution to the Bihuwatis by making popular folk instrument gogo.

 For the past seven years he has been crafting hundreds of gogo s out of bamboo. Talking to The Sentinel, he said, “This year I am almost done with 1,500 gogos to be supplied throughout the State. I sell them at Rs 60-Rs 70 rupees per piece.”

 A multifaceted persolity, Ratul is good in painting, playing all the folk instruments of Bihu like dhol, pepaand gogo, besides teaching nuances of Bihu dance to youths and thereby maging to run his four-member family.

 Hailing from a humble background, he said that till date he has not received any fincial aid from any government agency. “The government should encourage small-scale industries, thereby giving entrepreneurship opportunities to unemployed youths by fincial aid schemes,” said senior jourlist Kaneswar Deka. 

 Gogo, an instrument which is held in the mouth to play, is a contribution of the Mongolian culture. It is made of bamboo and requires high-level of craftsmanship. It is a must for a Bihuwati, female Bihu performer, to playgogo during stage competitions.