Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_ The demand for handmade musical instruments in Rawalpindi is experiencing a notable upswing, with the craftsmanship of skilled instrument makers on Shahullah Dutta Road garnering attention from overseas. Artisans proficient in making instruments like Dholak, Tabla, Flute, Taram, Dab, Rabab, Guitar, Harmonium, Drum, Chitrali Sitar, and other electronic musical devices have found burgeoning employment prospects. In recent years, the number of specialty shops dedicated to handcrafted musical instruments on Shahullah Dutta Road has significantly multiplied.
Craftsmen with decades of expertise in handcrafting musical instruments attribute Rawalpindi’s musical instruments’ international acclaim to the dedication of local artisans who persist in crafting instruments manually in this modern era. These adept craftsmen maintain a bustling schedule, with 50% of their creations ordered by enthusiasts from foreign countries. They underscore that locally crafted musical instruments reach destinations as distant as the United States, Europe, the United Kingdom, the UAE, Australia, and various other countries. According to them, with government support, this industry has the potential to generate foreign exchange by promoting it on an international scale.
The proprietor of Lubba Saaz, a shop with four decades of history on Shahullah Dutta Road, elucidates that his father initiated the business when only a handful of shops on this road specialized in crafting musical instruments manually. As the number of music addicts has grown, an increasing number of shops have sprouted in the area. Handmade musical instruments made here span a price range from Rs 2,000 to Rs 0.2 million.
The raw materials used encompass animal skins, wire, plastic, wood, silver, copper, and other locally sourced metals. Craftsmen dedicate 15 to 20 days to fashioning a single drum. Although handmade instruments are time-intensive to create, they remain unrivaled by their modern machine-made counterparts in terms of durability and sound quality.
Muhammad Shayan, a young man looking for a guitar on Shahullah Dutta Road, highlights that the increase in demand for handcrafted musical instruments is partly attributable to the influence of social media. Many famous social media artists employ these instruments to showcase their talents, finding them ideal for their performances.
Moreover, the burgeoning passion for music among the present generation is a significant contributing factor. Shayan also underscored the therapeutic value of playing musical instruments, illustrating that many young individuals earn income through their performances at various events. The instruments available on this market are crafted with precision and style. They attract not only enthusiasts but also musical instrument vendors from various locations who come to place orders and subsequently sell these instruments at a profit.
