Pokhara - Music

Music

The universal instruments used in Nepalese music involves madal (small leather drum), bansuri (bamboo flute), saarangi etc. and these instruments are prominent features of the traditional folk music (lok gít or lok geet) in Pokhara, which is actually the western (Gandaki, Dhaulagiri and Lumbini) branch of Nepali lok gít. Some example music of this region are Resham Firiri (रेशम फिरिरी), Khyalee Tune (ख्याली धुन). The lok gít started airing in Radio Nepal during 1950s and artists such as Jhalakman Gandharwa, Dharma Raj Thapa are considered pioneers in bringing the lok git into mass media. During early and late 1990s bands from Pokhara like Nepathya started their very successful fusion of western rock and pop with traditional folk music. Since then several other musical groups in Nepal have adopted the lok-pop/rock style producing dozens of albums every year. Another important part of cultural music of western Nepal, and hence Pokhara, is the Panché Baaja (पञ्चे बाजा), a traditional musical band performed generally during marriage ceremonies by the damaai musicians. The musical culture in Pokhara is quite dynamic and in recent years western rock & roll, pop, rap and hip-hop are becoming increasingly popular with frequently held musical concerts, however, the traditional lok and modern (semiclassical) nepali music are predominantly favored by the general populace. More musical concerts are held in Pokhara than in any other city in the country.