SAMRAT Scotland Brings Indian Drumming to Barnton Bunker
The sound of traditional Indian drumming is currently echoing through the corridors of a Cold War bunker buried underneath a hill in West Edinburgh!
SAMRAT have been using Barnton Bunker as their rehearsal space as they prepare for this year's Ganesh Festival, bringing together tradition, community and a rather unexpected venue.
A tradition that travels
The drums being played inside the bunker have their roots in Maharashtra, a state in western India, including the city of Mumbai.
They are traditionally played as part of Ganpati celebrations, which honour Lord Ganesha, one of the best-known and most widely worshipped Hindu deities.
Every year, SAMRAT come together to celebrate the festival here in Scotland, with music and procession forming an important part of the celebrations.
The group have been playing drums for 10 years, and this year marks their 11th year! What started on a much smaller scale, with just two or three drums, has grown into a much larger group, now featuring around 16 Dhols, 7-8 Tashas, Lezim used in dance and Zanj is performed by their children.
Why practise in a decommissioned nuclear bunker?
President Sonali Nakhate (second to left) & several committee members.
For the second year running, SAMRAT have been using Barnton Bunker as their rehearsal space.
And if you've ever heard a large group of drums being played together, you'll understand why finding the right venue matters.
The bunker gives the group somewhere they can practise together without worrying about disturbing people nearby.
As the President of SAMRAT, Sonali Nakhate, explains:
“We love coming here to practice, it’s the best venue we’ve found for our drumming practice, we can make noise and we don’t bother anyone at all. Plus the owner here has been very accommodating and helpful.”
It's a slightly unexpected use for a Cold War bunker but that's exactly what makes it so interesting.
A building that was once designed for emergency communications is now providing a rehearsal space for a Scottish-Indian community celebrating a tradition with roots thousands of miles away.
Preparing for Ganesh Festival
This year's Ganesh Festival takes place in September, with celebrations running across two days and a procession forming part of the festivities.
For SAMRAT, the rehearsals at Barnton Bunker are part of getting ready for that procession, bringing together the drummers, their instruments and the sound that has become such an important part of their celebrations.
The group has also taken part in carnival events over the past two years, continuing to grow its presence and share its music and traditions with the wider community.
A bunker for the community
SAMRAT’s rehearsals are a great example of how our Bunker is being used today.
One of the drummers with a Zanj.
While the bunker remains an important piece of Edinburgh's Cold War history and we’re restoring it room by room, it is also a space for the local community.
Groups can use it for rehearsals, meetings, creative projects and activities. Local businesses can make use of storage and room rental, and the space is also available for private events and celebrations.
Weddings, community activities, sporting tournaments, creative projects, unusual events, film crews are coming down here, like the BBC when they filmed scenes here in the British Police drama series, Vigil, even arm-wrestling, have all found a home at Barnton Bunker Community events space.
There's no single definition of what the bunker can be used for and sometimes, like now, it can be a place where more than 20 drums are played at full force!
From Barnton Bunker to the festival
The Samrat drumming group
As SAMRAT prepare for this year's celebrations, their rehearsals offer a glimpse of something you might not expect to find underground.
It's a reminder that while the bunker tells an important story about Edinburgh's past, it's also being used to create new stories today.
Could Barnton Bunker work for your group, business, filming or event?
If you're looking for somewhere to practise, create, meet, store equipment or host something a little different, get in touch with the Barnton Bunker team to find out more at info@barntonbunker.com
