KUTUMBASANGA HATEMALO I - KAVRE

TRIUMPH IN PANAUTI

After work-shopping with local musicians for two days, Kutumba staged a fine performance in Panauti today. The two-hour performance included three new tunes composed and arranged in Nepali baja with local musicians over the two-day workshop. The performance took place at the Indreshwor Mandir in Panauti with the local association of four youth clubs. With a first-rate turnout of over 500 Panauti residents, each paying an entrance of Rupees 10, the performance featured local Nau Baja Guru Ganesh Duwal and young Nepali baja musicians Santosh Duwal, Kabita Duwal, Rajesh Subhakar and Pranil Joshi. Friend of Kutumba, singer Mica Sundari also entertained the enthusiastic audience with a selection of Nepali and Newari numbers.

KUTUMBA IN KAVRE

Over the din of the loud highway horns 50 meters from the main junction of Banepa, a distinctive beating of the dhimay could be heard. Kutumba, along with three young local dhimay players were performing their final concert following a four-day musical retreat in Banepa and Panauti.

The three youngsters, Dev Kumar Manandhar, Ashish Manandhar and Suman Shrestha are dhimay enthusiasts, but have no dhimay school or teacher available to them. Their community looks upon them with curiosity, as they have chosen to self- teach themselves the dhimay and other Nepali baja as apposed to the drums or the guitar.

The Banepa concert was preceded by a performance at the Indreshwor Mahadev Mandir in Panauti the day before. Kutumba's four-day retreat in Kavre was aimed at identifying local Nepali baja musicians to learn from and share with.