KUTUMBASANGA HATEMALO I - BANEPA, KAVRE

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.