BLOG #15: NEWA MUSIC-INDIGENOUS MUSIC OF NEPAL

Newa Music is music from Newa people who are one of the indigenous people and the creators of the historical civilization of Nepal's capital Kathmandu valley. Newa pople are also called Newars who have their own language and are the community of mostly Tibeto-Burman and some IndoAryan ethnicities. Newa Music, also known as Newari Music are derived from classic Hindu and Buddhist music. It then got incorporated with the folk music of Kathmandu valley and peripheries. Main musical instruments are of percussion and wind instruments to create music.

Traditional Newar music consists of sacred music, devotional songs, seasonal songs, rice transplantation songs, love and marriage ballads and folk songs. These music have been mentioned in from the 16th century during the rule of King Mahendra. There is a Newar god of music and dance known as "Nasah Dyah" and specially worshipped by traditional musicians. There is a particular schedule for each music. Dapha music is one of the most common traditional Newa music. These music are played by a band called Dapha Khalah which are one of the part of traditional groups called Guthi. There are certain songs with certain music which are played according time of the day and seasons linking with the traditional festivals in each seasons. Musical bands parade through the streets during Gunla, the 10th month of Newar calender which is a holy month of Newar Buddhists. Musical performances start with an overture which is a salutation to the gods.

Common percussion instruments consists of the dhimay, khin, naykhin and dhaa

Wind instruments include the bansuri, payntah and mwahali.

The Newars are very much rich in traditional, classical and folk music as in dances. Various music and dance events take place in different parts of Newar societies on the occasion of different festivals. In fact, the Newars are so duly intermixed with music and dances that not a single festival, feast or cermony, 'from womb to tomb', passes without a music and dances. In general, these all types of dances with particular music can be classified into following categories.

• Masked Dances- Mahakali Dance, Bhairab Dance, Sikali Dance, etc.
• Folk Dances- Jyapu Dance, Ghintamuni, etc.
• Charya Dances- ManjuShree, Arjya Tara, Sodasa Lasya, etc.

Blog by Safal Maharjan
Refrences:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newa_music
http://newaric.blogspot.com.au/p/dance-music.html

Videos
youtube.com

Image
http://imagesofnepal.blogspot.com.au
ekantipur.com
http://blog.nepalonetours.com/2015/07/1.html