एसएलसी फेल, बिहे पास

Amrit Gurung posted a link to a YouTube video on his Facebook page today that showed a group of men from a Gurung family singing one of the first songs of the band Nepathya. I found that very very interesting. Very nicely done– over a dining table. I was so impressed that I watched it twice and showed the video to a cousin who was visiting me at my home. That video prompted me to look for more Nepathya songs on YouTube. I like many songs of the band.

As I typed the word “nepathya”, the video sharing site suggested several possible combinations that the site thought I could be interested in. I chose “nepathya songs collection“. Seventh video in the list had a familiar cover photo. The one I took near the Rara lake in Mugu district. Padam Bahadur Rawal is smiling at my camera as he tended his sheep.

As I played the video (the song “Binti chha hai“) I saw many more photos that I had taken during my trips to Karnali region used in the slide show. Those photos made me nostalgic. My trips to Karnali region, first in 2007, were great in the sense that they taught me a lot about Nepali society and what it means to be a Nepali in the remotest and neglected corners of Nepal. Last time I checked, Rara wasn’t in the Lonely Planet guide book on Nepal. I have recommended this place to many foreigner friends who aske me where they should go in Nepal. I recommend it to everyone. If you prefer reading this story in English, here it is: A Different Alchemist: Himalayan Yarns of Nepali Shepherds (Also, don’t forget to watch the Gurung family video).