Fans remember beloved dhol player Pappu Sain

With the passing of Pakistan’s iconic dhol player after a prolonged battle with liver cancer, several music lovers took to social media to mourn the loss of Pappu Sain. Remembering the musician’s power-packed dhol performances, part of the weekly dhamaal at the shrine of Baba Shah Jamal in Lahore, fans recalled the energy and talent of the late dhol maestro.

Musician Arieb Azhar took to Twitter to honour the late dhol player, writing, “Rest in power our brother, our mentor and friend Pappu Sain, now in eternal ecstasy! Jhoolay Laal!”

Several music lovers took to Twitter to grieve the loss of the dhol maestro, with one use recalling their time at the shrine of Baba Shah Jamal where Pappu Sain would perform as part of the dhamaal. “Many Thursday nights spent crammed into the back of zig-zagging [ruckus] to go see the spinning dholchi. The dhamaal at Shah Jamal was a big part of my uni experience,” they wrote.

“RIP Pappu Sain. Lahore will forever miss that beat,” tweeted another user after the musician’s passing.

Remembering the dhol player’s power-packed performances, a Twitter user wrote in his memory, “He moved in a rhythm that mimicked the deep, reverberating rhythm of life itself; his dhol booming, his hands ablur, his long hair swaying, his eyes closed, his mind on a different plane, the air redolent with abandon and hashish, the heart seeking a higher love. RIP Pappu Sain.”