Pretty lady behind the tassa drums

It was during the religious celebrations of “Ganesh Utsav” that the sound of tassa drums were heard at the Om Shanti Ashram in Cunjal Road, Princes Town. The crowds turned back to see the face of a pretty lady dressed in a brightly coloured garara approaching with the tassa drums tied around her neck and skillfully beating the drums with two sticks in her hands. It was 20 year old Kerisa Roopnarine of Cunjal Road, Barrackpore. By the time she had finished her session of fifteen minutes tassa, she was wet through and through. This did not stop the young lady from having a good time. She ran out off the temple into the open air to revive herself so that she could participate in the devotion that was being conducted in the temple. The day after, she was ready to talk to People about her choice of an instrument.

“Being a female pursuing a male dominated art was challenging. I thought I would be ridiculed by my peers. Instead, I found support in my family and from my friends in the temple,” she said. The first question posed to her was:  Why the tassa? “Well I like the powerful sound that comes from the tassa and I believe that with a little strength I could beat the big drums. When I started, it was difficult. I couldn’t even hold the stick properly. But with a little determination I got it right. Then I had to listen to the rhythm that the other players were beating and hit the sticks accordingly. Now the different sound comes easily,” she explained. Her siblings poked jokes at her at the beginning of her tassa stint, but she said this was just an added incentive to pursue the art. “When I am playing tassa out on stage, the energy that I feel from the atmosphere illuminates me and gives me the feeling of pride,” she told People. She noted that we live in a world where there are no longer specific gender roles and her choice of instrument is evidence that even in her culture is inclusive and evolving.

As a youth she would like to carry on the traditions and heritage of East Indian culture. “We have a responsibility to keep the culture alive,” she explained. She revealed that she came from a close-knit family and although her parents are divorced, they both support her in all her endeavors in life. She is currently trying  to establish a video club at home. “I think this is a good business in my area. The people here have to journey six miles away when they want to get good films and I would provide the latest movies for them at their doorstep,” she said. The charming Kerisa keeps herself busy, attending temple, and doing drama and getting involved in sporting activities in the temple. She is also a graduate of the International School of Travel and Language where she pursued a flight attendant’s course. She holds an “A” Diploma in this course. So if her business venture does not succeed, she will apply to be an air hostess.

She is a “livewire” in her home and in the temple. She is the one who gets the younger girls practising and rehearsing whenever there is a project coming up at the temple. Many of her friends describe her as lively and friendly. But Kerisa is also a very organised person. She documents all her rehearsal times and everything else. “I believe that one should follow a schedule at all times. It helps you to get results from the important things in life. We just can’t go about doing something and if it doesn’t work out then sit and sulk,” she said. She has certainly been able to create an impression on stage with the tassa and her acting skills. Already she is a rising star of Cunjal. This pretty lady is set to conquer the odds and make sure she enjoys success in life.