Uday Sotang's most favorite songs

KATHMANDU, June 29: Uday Sotang likes to introduce himself as a simple human being before anything else. “I’d also like people to know me as a great father, a loving husband, only then a singer, and finally a musician,” says Sotang who is well known for his songs like ´Maya Namara´, ´Yesari Kasori´, ´Jun Din´, ´Manai Mero Changa Bho´, and ´Kaha Pokhinchha Anshu´.[break]



Uday and his wife Manila are an inseparable couple who have been coming up with their invincible compositions together for years.



Even though the singer has a modernized touch in his songs, he seems to prefer the evergreen old classics. His two favorite Nepali albums, in this connection, are Gopal Yonjan’s ´Nisani Baunna´ and Amber Gurung’s ´Kahile Lahar Kahile Tarang´.







´Nisani Baunna´ is an album that was brought out to commemorate the 52nd year of Gopal Yonjan’s life on this earth.



“I like the lyrics because the words are full of feelings, and for the unbeatable music,” says Sotang. Some of the popular songs of this album are ´Kaha Paryo Puriba´ which is a song based on one’s Nepali identity in alien lands. ´Bachidinchu Timrai Nimti´ is a romantic number, and ´Samar Khelne Shatru Chhaina´ has an inclination to his patriotism with the suggestiveness that there is peace and quiet after the enemies have been vanquished. “Gopal Yonjan’s voice is very heart-touching,” says Sotang.



Next is Amber Gurung’s ´Kahile Lahar Kahile Tarang´ which has compositions that were some of the super hits when the album was released.



“I prefer this album because of the choice of words in the songs, and the systematic arrangement of the songs and music together,” remarks Sotang.



Most of the edition’s songs are written by Gurung himself, and in the recordings, Gurung was ably assisted by his three sons, Kishore, Raju and Sharad on their respective instruments – mainly guitar, percussion, and keyboard.



Another song is ´Ukali Chadda Pasina Puchhne´ which was the most popular song of this album on FM stations for a long time. It is about kindred souls, one’s fellow traveler, not only in fair weather but in all rain and shine.



The other notable song in the album for Uday is ´Timi Bhulma Paryau´ which has a tragic overtone and a self-realization of the protagonist with regards to a past tinged with reminiscences and regrets in equal measures. It is about a road willfully taken, with obvious consequences.



Sotang thinks the list is followed by the Deep Shrestha’s ´Dristi´ because of the quality of the songs the collection has in it.



Other singers who have set indelible imprints on Sotang’s musical heart are the legendary Swor Samrat Narayan Gopal, Bhakta Raj Acharya, and Bachhu Kailash.

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