This Republic Day, the Government of India honoured Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda, a veteran tribal musician from Palghar district, Maharashtra, with the Padma Shri, recognising his lifelong contribution to preserving the Tarpa, a traditional wind instrument intrinsic to Warli and other Adivasi cultures.

Now in his early 90s, Dhinda began learning the Tarpa at the age of 10 and has since dedicated over eight decades to performing, teaching, and safeguarding the music of his people, often amid poverty and social invisibility.

Officials said the award acknowledges not only Dhinda’s personal legacy but also the cultural resilience of an entire tribal community whose traditions face the risk of extinction. The recognition places a long-overdue spotlight on indigenous art forms and the need for sustained institutional support to keep them alive.

Bhiklya Dhinda’s Breath of Legacy

Born in Walvanda village in Jawhar tehsil, a predominantly tribal region in Palghar, Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda comes from a 400-year-old lineage of Tarpa players. The Tarpa crafted from a dried bottle gourd, bamboo pipes and reed produces a continuous, circular melody that guides communal dances and rituals during harvest festivals and village gatherings. For Dhinda’s community, the instrument is not merely musical but spiritual, binding people to nature, ancestry, and collective memory.

Dhinda began playing the Tarpa as a child of about 10, learning by observing his father and elders. Despite limited formal education and persistent economic hardship, he continued to practise and perform, believing that abandoning the Tarpa would mean severing ties with his identity. Over the decades, he performed at local festivals, state-sponsored cultural events, and national platforms, gradually earning recognition as one of the few remaining traditional Tarpa masters.

Reacting to the Padma Shri announcement, Dhinda told news agencies that the honour brought “great pride to the entire tribal community” and that he considered the award a blessing for Tarpa music itself. “This is not just my award.

It belongs to our culture,” he said, adding that he had “worshipped God through music” all his life. Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik described the recognition as a “proud moment for Palghar”, while cultural affairs officials stated that the award reflects the government’s intent to acknowledge grassroots artists who have kept India’s intangible heritage alive without fame or financial security.

Preserving A Fragile Legacy Amid Change And Neglect

Dhinda’s journey unfolded during a time when many tribal traditions began to erode under the pressures of migration, urbanisation, and shrinking cultural spaces. As younger generations moved away in search of livelihood, instruments like the Tarpa risked fading into obscurity. Dhinda, however, remained rooted in his village, continuing to play and quietly mentoring children and young adults interested in learning the instrument.

Unlike classical or mainstream folk arts that enjoy institutional backing, tribal music traditions often survive solely through oral transmission. Dhinda never had access to formal music academies or consistent patronage. Yet, his persistence ensured that the Tarpa remained audible in community rituals and public performances alike. Cultural researchers have noted that Tarpa music is inseparable from collective dance movements, making its loss not just musical but social.

This year’s Padma awards list included 131 recipients, with 45 recognised as “unsung heroes”, underscoring a growing effort to honour individuals whose contributions lie outside conventional narratives of success. Dhinda’s inclusion resonates with similar recent recognitions of folk and tribal artists, signalling a gradual shift in acknowledging India’s diverse cultural custodians. However, experts caution that awards alone cannot substitute for long-term policies that provide training spaces, financial security, and documentation for endangered traditions.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

Bhiklya Ladakya Dhinda’s Padma Shri is a powerful reminder that India’s cultural strength lies not only in its celebrated icons but also in its quiet keepers of tradition. His life reflects values of resilience, humility, and intergenerational responsibility qualities that deserve far greater visibility and support. While the honour offers symbolic justice, it also compels us to ask harder questions about cultural equity and inclusion.