Newa Music - Traditional Music

Traditional Music

The traditional Newar music have been arranged into a particular schedule. One of the dominant forms of traditional Newar music is 'Dapha'. Dapha music is a classical newar music that probably originated during late 'Lichhavi Period' and flourished in the 'Malla period'. Basically, the songs of Dapha music are devotional songs based on classical ragas. Dapha music is played by bands known as 'Dapha Khalah' that may be associated with a traditional groups called 'guthi'. According to the ragas certain songs are played at certain season or time of day. The songs generally narrate or depict the mood of the particular season. Besides the seasonal and scheduled ragas, various ragas are played during specific events, such as Deepak raga (played when a monarch passes away).

Seasons, their festivals and music accompanying them are as follows

Season Festival Song Comments
Grishma (Summer) Sithinakha to Gathāmuga Chare Sinjyā
Warshā (Monsoon) Gathāmuga Chare to Yanlā Punhi Tukājyā
Sharad (Autumn) Silu mye
Hemant (Winter) Dashian (Mohanee) Mālshree Incorporated into mainstream Nepalese music as the music of Dashain
Shishir Holi mye
Basanta Shree panchami to Buddha Jayanti Vasanta Played to Head of state of Nepal in Nasalchowk on Vasant Panchami

The schedule of different ragas played by Dapa on different times of day are as follows-

Rāg Time of day
Kola Midnight to 1 am
Namāmi 1 am to 2 am
Mālawā 2 am to 3 am
Bihan chuli 3 am to 5 am
Bhakta 5 am to 7 am
Jayashree 7 am to 9 am
Māluwā 9 am to Noon
Bibhaash Noon to 1 pm
Asavari 1 pm to 2 pm
Padmajati 2 pm to 3 pm
Deshā 3 pm to 4 pm
Kausi 4 pm to 6 pm
Kedar 6 pm to 7 pm
Wijaya 7 pm to 10 pm
Wimāsa 10 pm to 11 pm
Nāya 11 pm to Midnight

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