 |
Kathmandu Wednesday January 17, 2001 Magh 04, 2057.
|
Dhimey: Traditional Jyapu musical
instrument
By Shraddha Shrestha
KATHMANDU - Jyapu in the Newari language means those who work in field. The
term rightfully denotes a hardy community from Kathmandu Valley who are renowned for their
manual labour. But the Jyapus of Kathmandu are also known as the masters of dhimey baja, a
traditional style of music played until recently by only members of this particular
community.
No one else but a Jyapu could beat the drums, clang the cymbals and play the
flute that is part and parcel of the Dhimey. Those long-held belief is at last giving way
to others from outside the community. Slowly, music lovers outside the Jyapu community are
also being trained to play the Dhimey, but not without a fight.
Sharad Joshi, who comes from Newar community but is not a traditional Jyapu,
had to make desperate pleas with the Jyapus when he went to learn to play the drum.
"I think all musical instruments of the Jyapu community aren’t only theirs. It
is something that belongs to all the Nepalese people," says Babu Raja Maharjan, who
taught Joshi to play the Dhimey.
According to traditional belief, dhimey music first originated in the Valley
as an instrument to chase away cows from eating ones crops. Gradually, the Dhimey
developed into Mu Dhimey and Yalaypwo Dhimey. The Mu Dhime rythmn is different in each and
every guthi (community) and the special beat is kept secret. Mu Dhimey can be learnt by
members of a separate guthi only.
A Bhusyaa (cymbal), and a Keypi (bell) further accompany Mu Dhimey. The Mu
Dhimey drum leads every procession and the Yalaypwo Dhimey follows. The beat of the
Yalaypwo Dhimey is not kept secret and everyone can learn it. The Yalaypwo Dhimey beat is
identical in each of the 32 Jyapu communities. Yalaypwo Dhimey creates a festive mood.
Even in these modern times, the traditional Jyapu music has successfully kept
its separate identity. There are increasing number of Kathmandu households who would want
to invite a Dhimey troupe to play on social occasions. But the problem is, such troupes
are non-existent. It is only that individual musicians gather together during a guthi
gathering and play some music. But they don’t operate on an organised way, unlike the
brass bands that are so popular during weddings these days.
Amrit Man Tamrakar from Bishalnagar says that he would love to have a Dhimey
troupe during his son’s wedding. But the city lacks such troupes. The only available
option is brass band. "The Jyapus play Dhimey for their own wedding ceremonies but
they are not available for other communities," he says.
Raj Bhai Jyapu, a member of Jyapu Mahaguthi, says that some musical troops
were formed about a year ago, adding "but the money they made out of their seasonal
performance was not enough to keep them going."
But there are lovers of Dhimey music who have taken the trouble to learn the
traditional art. Among them are some foreigners. Dr Gert Matthias Wegner, a German
national who is the director at department of music at KU learnt Ddhimey Baja while
staying at Bhaktapur for eight years.
According to him, he likes to play Dhimey especially during festivals.
"The crowd gives a direct feedback and makes everybody happy and creates a spiritual
feeling, which is the magic of Dhimey," he says.
There are people who want to learn it and are not
finding the right place to do so. Kathmandu University, which has a music faculty, teaches
the Dhimey Bbaja for interested students. But the high fee of the university is a big
hurdle for the aspiring musicians.
Other Stories
|
