Fore-Runners of Duet Singing
Rimal duo have enriched the Nepali modern music with dozens of melodious folk based duets
By THAKUR AMGAI
'Lekaki Thiti, Besima Aai Kina Layau Maya Thyammai, Lau Bhana Nadhati'
The above mentioned song that translates as 'Tell me without lying, being a girl of the mountains why did you come to the plains and fall in love."
If Kalyan Rimal had asked this question to his wife Biju Rimal, 'She would probably answer, 'so that we could sing duets.'
Truly the union of this couple has enriched the Nepali music with dozens of evergreen duets. At a time, when the Nepali society was so conservative that parents and in laws would not allow daughters to sing and dance in public, to sing a duet with a man was not easy. So, there were very few duet singers in those days.
Rimal couple was free from this problem. Both of them had a passion for music and flair in singing. And after they got married braving the social barriers of caste discrimination, they could overtly engage themselves in duet singing.
Born in 1994 B.S. in Kathmandu, Kalyan was privileged to get a musical ambience at home. He started singing at social functions like 'dabali' and family functions since the tender age of six. He passed a voice test and started singing at Radio Nepal shortly after its establishment. 'Tanki Phool Relimai Chaitaima Phoolyo' composed by Ustad Bhairab Bahadur Thapa was the first song aired live in his voice. The song was not recorded.
In 2013, Kalyan formed 'Navin Kala Mandir' with some of his like minded friends and conducted various activities under its banner. The organization is celebrating its golden jubilee next year with various functions. It has been felicitating various artistes every year since last couple of years.
As a freelancer, Kalyan had also started teaching music at schools and colleges. It was in one of these schools that he had met Biju - Bijeshwari Shrestha then.
Biju, who was born in 2002, did not have similar environment at home. "My father used to tell me to focus on studies and engage in music only after completing studies," said Biju.
However, she used to learn and practice music at school. Kalyan had noticed her melodious voice and flair in singing at ' Padhma Kanya School', Dillibazar, where she studied.
Biju began her musical career after completing high school in 2017, by singing a duet 'Aakash Jhalmaliyo, Chand Muskurai' both written and composed by Kalyan. They got married the same year.
After two years, Kalyan got a job at Nepal Rastra Bank and was deployed in Birgunj. Biju followed him. There, they composed and sang songs at various cultural functions. Occasionally they would come to Kathmandu and record songs.
In the next one decade, Rimal couple sung more than 150 songs. Kalyan was equally apt in composing the songs and he himself composed most of the songs they sang. Songs like 'Jomsom Khola, Kahile Bhet Hola', 'Lekki Thiti', 'Sunkoshiko Sanglo Pani', among others are equally popular today.
In 2027 Kalyan stood first in the Nationwide Modern Songs contest singing the song 'Sathi Nata Kohi Thiya'. After this, however, their momentum in singing duet gradually retarded. Rimal duo have sung much fewer songs after those days compared to the first decade of their career.
Kalyan is an M. Mus. and Biju, a B. Mus. from Allahabad University, India. Earlier, Kalyan learned classical music from Sangeet Pravin Nara Raj Dhakal and Biju from Mohan Kumar Shrestha, Surya Raj Sharma along with Sangeet Praveen Dhakal.
After the retirement from the job, Kalyan has been involved in composing music. The duo brought out their first album 'Triveni' in 2043. After that, they have brought out some collection albums and some albums with new songs, like 'Anjuli' and 'Shivaya Nama'.
At present, Kalyan is now working to bring out an album 'Navin Swarharu' with young singers. "The album will be released on the golden jubilee function of 'Navin Kala Mandir'," said Kalyan.
Kalyan won the best music director award from the Department of Archives in 2014 and Nati Kaji Award last year. Likewise, Biju was awarded with the ‘Tara Award’ a few years back.
