Photo Credit: Tek Bayalkoti

KATHMANDU

After two years of Covid-imposed hibernation, Nepathya welcomed New Year with a bang. Nepathya's first public concert post-Covid was held on Damak on April 14, Thursday (1st Baisakh 2079). The open-air concert was performed on the grounds of Saraswati Higher Secondary School, more popularly known as 'Itabhatta School' amongst locals. Earlier, Nepathya had performed on the same ground to an audience of over four thousand in 2018.

This was the fifth Nepathya concert in the town, fast burgeoning into a trade and art hub in Eastern Nepal as per a press statement released by Nepathya.

Amrit Gurung, the lead singer of the band, appeared on the stage amidst the merry atmosphere. Expressing good wishes for the New Year, he started the program by singing the song 'Koshi Ko Pani Yo Zindagani' compiled from Eastern Nepal.

After that, he entertained the audience by singing popular songs like " Bhedha Ko Oon Justo”, "Chekyo chekyo", "Lampate surati", "Chari Maryo" and " Jomsomai Bazar ma ". While presenting these songs representing different parts of the country, Amrit was also requesting the audience to visit their country and get the experience firsthand as per the press statement released by Nepalaya.

Amrit also expressed happiness over the transformation of the city, which did not even have a well-organized hotel when he was present behind the scenes with the 'Education for Peace' campaign nearly two decades ago. The money raised from the concert at that time was used to help in the construction of the Himalayan Secondary School building in the northern corner of Damak. It added about five thousand spectators attended the behind-the-scenes concert.

Amrit was accompanied by Dhruv Lama on drums, Suraj Thapa on keyboards, Suvin Shakya on bass guitar, Niraj Gurung on guitar and Shanti Rayamajhi on drums.