Drums being played in the memory of Sidi Chowkidar Shah at Ahmedabad
Channel: Roots and Routes: A Living Archive
Date: 2022-09-15

In this video, two drum players are playing Damama near the Dargah (shrine) of Siddi Chowkidar Shah in Ahmedabad. The drum beats are identical to what Siddi Chowkidar Shah (also known as Siddi Chowkidar Baba) played in the memory of Ahmad Shah Badshah (ruler of the Muzaffarid Dynasty between 1411-1442). 
Siddi Chowkidar Shah was brought to India by Ahmad Shah Badshah as a  Sufi musician and spiritual leader from Abyssinia (currently known as Ethiopia) in the early parts of the 15th century. 
The place (in the video) is near Ahmad Shah Badshah's shrine. The drum players in the video claim to be the seventh generation of Siddi Chowkidar Shah and continue with their forefather's rituals of playing drums and reviving the cultural and spiritual memories of the Siddis. 
Every day, the drums are played at 6:30 pm and 11 pm in the memories of Ahmad Shah and Sidi Chowkidar.