Always dressed in black, the six-member musical ensemble, for a change, appeared in blue on Tuesday afternoon at the Kathmandu Durbar Square for the Under One Sun festival.[break]
“Do you know why we’re in blue today?” asked percussionist Pavit Maharjan right after they had played “God Lives in the Himalayas” to a large group of audience enjoying the band’s music under the warm sun. “It’s for the 60th anniversary of the Refugee Day.”
At Basantapur, the day was dedicated to the hardship and struggles of the refugees worldwide “celebrating the achievements and challenges” of 60 years of service of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), according to Stephane Jaquemet, Representative of UNHCR-Nepal.
“This is about 60 years of solidarity and selflessness,” Jaquemet said addressing the mass before the musical presentations by bands including Kutumba, Albatross and Shree Tara.
And it was a solid musical cohesion of these three bands that complimented each other’s performances as Kutumba and Shree Tara harmonized their sounds and for the first time Albatross fused with Kutumba, giving a power-packed performance.
It was for the first time that the audience heard the four-member band play their popular song “Farki Farki” from their first album “Jo Jas Sanga Sambandha Cha” with a different beat: the percussions replaced the drums along with sarangi and flute.
“Tell us how you like this version?” asked Shirish Dali, vocalist/guitarist of Albatross before they started, to which the Basantapur crowd roared with a loud whoop after the song.
Kutumba and Albatross’s effort on “Farki Farki” and “Shrishti Ra Drishti” along with “Nischal” from their latest album “Atti Bhayo” sets standards for how Western acoustics and Nepali folk instrumentals can blend to create a sound that can please the audience. The Nepali crowd, singing and dancing, and foreigners who were attracted by the music, gives a picture of their appreciation for the new sound.
But while well-recognized bands like Kutumba and Albatross didn’t have to try hard to put on a good show, Shree Tara, a five-member, all-women band formed in 2009 also effortlessly delivered their best. While Manju Nakarmi thrilled the crowd with her solo tabla talent in between their group performance, Sharmila Dongol flawlessly played the flute and Barta Gandharva serenaded the mass with her vocal and sarangi combo. But it was the group’s instrumental renditions of popular Nepali songs like “Kalilo Tama Lai” and “Taalko Paani” that added more liveliness to the musical performances that lasted one and a half hours.
Apart from the musical gathering, Under One Sun festival also features 12 photo exhibits on UNHCR’s role and work in Nepal and worldwide along with art installations by 13 Nepali artists and performances and street dramas by refugees and local artistes. The festival that was inaugurated by Energy Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat on Tuesday will continue through December 17 at the Basantapur Durbar Square.
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