Women active in Baja playing

By Top Lal Aryal,Resunga, Apr. 28: Ganga Khasu from Gulmidarbar-3 plays the Sanai (a traditional wind instrument).

 It is considered the most difficult instrument to play. In the group, no one except Khasu plays the Sanai.

 Although she is still new and cannot yet change the musical phrases easily, she said that she was managing.

In the same village, Bina Pulami and Himkumari Bhusal take turns playing the Narsinga and Karnal. 

Along with Muktisara Khasu on the Dholki and Maisara Pulami on the Temkudi , 59-year-old Gyanumaya Basnet, the oldest member of the group, plays the Jhyali.

Three members of the group play the Damaha. The Naumati Baja performance by the women’s group from Gulmidarbar caught everyone’s attention during recent Gulmi Festival.

 It has only been a year since this group started playing traditional instruments.

Traditionally, the Naumati Baja art form was passed down within the Pariyar community, but with the younger generation showing less interest, the art form faces the risk of extinction.

As a result, people from different communities are now actively learning and playing these instruments. Notably, women are increasingly drawn toward playing the Naumati Baja.

The Devisthan Mothers’ Group of Gulmidarbar-3 received a set of instruments from the rural municipality. 

After also receiving training, the women became enthusiastic about going around and performing, said Ganga Khasu, who is also the group’s president.

 She said that although they often perform in various places, they do not specifically demand payment.

It is not easy for women to leave their household chores and go out to play music all day. 

Furthermore, due to patriarchal attitudes, there are different perceptions toward women stepping into such roles. 

Since most of them are daughters-in-law, it was initially challenging to gather and step out of their homes, but now it is becoming easier, said Lila Thapa, who also plays the Damaha. 

Thapa said they are not motivated by the lure of money but are playing to preserve the culture and send the message that women are capable of anything.

Similarly, the indigenous daughters-in-law of Dhurkot Rural Municipality-1 are also working to turn the Naumati Baja into a source of income.

Basanta and Dipa Thapa from Nayagaun, who are sisters-in-law, are now performing together as Basanta plays the Sanai and Dipa the Dholak.

Saraswata Magar from the same village also plays the Sanai. All 11 members of their group are daughters-in-law from indigenous communities.

Damaha player Kamala Gamal’s two daughters and her parents-in-law stay at home, while her husband is abroad for work.

 Despite this, she has managed to make time for playing the Damaha. Out of the 11 members in the group, the husbands of five are working abroad.

Executive member Prem Mukhiya informed that indigenous focused budgets have been used to provide musical instruments and training to the Indigenous Naumati Baja Group of Dhurkot Rural Municipality-1 Nayagaun and the women of Ward No. 3, Hadahade.

 This group, too, has been performing at many events. Group secretary Dipa Thapa said that while they are still learning, they have been earning between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 17,000 per event.