Simplicity, sophistication blend well in Kunti's voice

By Arhan Sthapit

Hers is a name that Nepali music world respects as one of the female talents with superlative order. Kunti Moktan is a singer with one of the rarest tryst of extraordinary simplicity with sophistication of singing fostered through classical music training.

Flexibility and smooth melody in voice are her biggest assets that can leave every one enthralled. Her knack of classical music and concomitant singing techniques stand her in good stead among her contem-poraries. And today, she is one of the few front-runners among the active female singers. Attempts, words fail one to describe her artistic attributes and skills properly.

For this highly talented female crooner, the award in the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance category of the Fourth Hits FM Music Awards 2057 (March 10) has come as the latest feather-in-the-cap. Apart from the Best Female Vocal Performance category, she was the only female nominee in the closely contested categories of the Record of the Year and the Album of the Year (for the album Kirti). In previous year’s contest also, she had had the similar feat with the ‘Best Female Vocal Performance’ category award.

Among the many other national awards she has received, she attaches high esteem to the first prizes in Radio Nepal’s Classical Vocal Performance Competition and Ratna Recording Corporation’s Pratibhako Khojima both in 2041 BS (1984/85). She has given several hundreds of stage performances across the country and in Hong Kong, Qatar and Japan.

A Visharad (B. Mus.) in classical singing from Bhatkhande Mahavidhyalaya of Allahbad (India) in 1983, she was previously trained under classical music guru J. C. Rai in Sundaha, Darjeeling. Teaming with senior music composer and husband Shila Bahadur Moktan, she has so far released five albums together. They include one disc record titled Hits of Kunti Sundas (1985) from Ratna Recording Corporation, four audiocassette albums Kailekahin (1989), Mayalulai (1995), Mero Man (1997), and Kirti (1999/2000), and a CD album Mero Man (1997).

With more than 450 songs under her belt, she has demonstrated versatility in singing. Her Timro mayale malai doryai exemplifies a romantic modern song based on semi-classical notes and beats, while she is full of pace and vigour at its prime in Mayalu-lai. It can drive listeners into ‘wild’ heights of romance. On contrary, she goes quite sensitive in Maya timilai kehi bhanna, a duet with Bhaktaraj Acharya. She emulates folk fervours of the mountainous rustic in Mathimathi sailungema. She sounds equally natural in Nishthuri mayalu, the sophisticated fusion of folk tunes and the classical Raga Durga.

She sings with incredible ease the songs with accidental chords and complicated turns engendered in semi-classical compositions. Examples include fast, rhythmic Khutta tandai (Raga Bhupali), Pokhinda hanso (Raga Hameer), Dharti yo gagan (mix of Raga Bageshree and Raga Shrinkara), and sentimental Sadhi sadhai (Raga Shivaranjani), Bheer gaunle budho (Raga Ahir-Bhairav), Muti nabhai (Raga Vrindavana Saranga) or Kasaile (Raga Maru Vihag). All epitomize themselves.

Coming to her third album Mayalulai, she tried a big shift towards pop music from her established brand of modern songs with semi-classical flavour. But, her recent recourse to her own style has gained overwhelming public accolades, as the album Kirti, probably Nepal’s first songs-album entirely based on semi-classical music, fared excellently in the market.

Born in Margaret’s Hope Tea Estate of Darjeeling, Kunti had made her music debut in All India Radio in 1977 while still in her school. Her tremendous talents handed in easy inroads into Radio Nepal in mid-80s.

"Quality music offers an insight into real music," she says.

Asked to locate her position in what we call the mainstream Nepali music, a typical blend of Nepali folk and semi-classical influence, she says, "I’m just following the footsteps of our predece-ssors who embarked upon this line."

After guru J. C. Rai, she finds some impression of Aruna Lama, Shanti Thatal, Dawa Gyalmo and Daisy Baraili in her singing that she has developed as her unique style over the years. Yet, it sounds her modesty when she says she is not possessive of the style tagged as hers.

While expressing her respect to many senior artistes, she gives her note appreciating singing techniques of Bhaktaraj Acharya, an extraordinary talent presently fighting a tongue cancer thanks to a fatal assault on him about 11 years back.

On her current plans, she says that a new music-album containing 10 songs is on anvil. "Songs as almost ready for recording that will start from coming April (Baisakh)," she confides to this scribe. "Its music is going to be neither pop, nor pure semi-classical stuff, but of a line with a ‘difference’."

Into her 25th year in music career, Kunti strongly believes that in addition to good voice, music knowledge and regular Riyaaj (practice), what makes one a good singer is his/her "social discipline and manners," as artistes reflect the society and should be able to show behaviours worth emulating by general public.

Teens Corner
Education is for life

The majority of us today are gain seeking. In everything we do look for material gain. Students go to school, colleges and universities only to improve their prospects. A degree to them merely means a better grade and more increments. It is therefore not surprising that they sometimes adopt unfair and unscrupulous methods to ensure these diplomas and degrees, or simply for a higher percentage. The true purpose of education is lost somewhere between two examination halls. Today, talent and learning are being minted into gold coins!

True education is a different matter altogether. Its purpose is to build an integrated personality and to cause a simultaneous and harmonious growth of body and mind, senses and sprit. When a student completes his education he should be full of life, vigor energy and enthusiasm. He should not join the rat race of choosing a job that is highly lucrative, but should choose a profession that satisfies him mentally, and to some extent, spiritually. The purpose of a school or college is not simply to teach bread- winning, but to teach the values of life such as morality, dignity, justice, humanity and humility.

Most of today’s students on being asked what they want from a career reply, "Money." The money factor seems to be their only motive to live, and their only driving force. "The love of money is the root of all evil." This is an old saying, but the implications of this statement are obvious enough. The love and lure of wealth generally prompts people to resort to all sorts of malpractice such as bribery, deception and dishonesty. Anyone, who develops this madness for money, becomes a devotee, or rather a slave to the Goddess of wealth.

It is believed, and rightly, that the power of the purse is a great power: it brings prestige, friends, influence, admirers (just as honey brings flies) and the comforts and conveniences of life. Yet, when pockets and wallets are cherished more then hearts and brains, deterioration of character and moral are bound to set in.

The ardent love and possession of money also bring in their wake arrogance, a lack of humanity and an absence of sympathy towards the helpless. The human factors, which is undeniably vital, tends to be ignored.

The destiny of a nation is at the hands of its youth. Thus, what the youth think and believe today, the nation will think and believe tomorrow. It is therefore highly imperative that we, the youth, be ingrained with the highest education ideals. It is essential that we, the future of the world, realize that education is not for a livelihood, but for life.

Bivek Bhattarai
Class: IX
St. Xavier's School

Find your heart out

I used to think I had the perfect life. I had all that I wanted: a loving family, fantastic friends, success in the academic front and other school activities and anything else a teenager needed to spice up life.

Life was easy for me. Believing in something and working hard
to attain it enabled me to get anything I aspired for. I had full faith in hard work…. Until the day the walls on which my dreams stood, the walls that I had so carefully built, crashed down. I felt myself a fail, a fail in everyone's eyes, and above all, in the eyes of myself.

My attitude towards life changed. What's the use of working hard, I thought, if your work is not done justice. Slowly, I began to lose myself and became the person that wasn't real me. The sunshine of my life faded and darkness slowly took over. Yet, out of the darkness a voice called out.

A voice that told me to hold on and not to give up; a voice that helped me pick up the pieces I was broken into and rise as a whole person again; a voice that enabled me to face life and guide me back to my sunshine.

I learned that life's not as easy as it superficially seems. You stumble and fall and rising up again is no piece of cake. But another thing I learned and want to share with every teenager is: You're not alone. Reach out; there is always someone to help.

There are times when terrible things happen and you're lonely and hurt and you feel there's no way out. But it helps to know there's someone, not just to give you advice, but to listen, to comfort you and tell you that its going to be okay, that life doesn't end just there. You just need to find the person, whether he or she be a parent, a friend, a teacher or a sibling and pour your heart out. Afterwards, you'll feel better, you'll start to heal.

Healing of, your inner person takes place just like the healing of a physical wound. And when the pain passes you emerge stronger, happier, more sensitive and aware.

All of us are born with wings. When they get bruised, we have a choice. We can either choose not to listen to voices wanting to help and remain enclosed within our shell, or reach out for aid to mend them and learn to fly again. Why prefer to crawl through life, when you have a chance to spread your wings and soar above the world in the beautiful blue sky?

-Anjali Lohani
Class X
St. Mary's High School

Teens Chat
Why Kashish is known

Kashish Shrestha a well-known name among the youth of Kathmandu. This name doesn't need any introduction. At the age of 18 he is a popular R.J (KATH FM), works in the famous magazine of Nepal as music co-ordinator and has organised two successful music concerts, Shrestha spoke with Swasti Thapa about his career as R.J. (Radio Jockey).

How will you introduce yourself as an R.J, as an student or....

I am Kashish Shrestha and I want to be introduced by my name.

According to you what are the qualities that a R.J should have?

Confidence and proper pronunciation. No one is perfect but one should try to maintain the level of the language we are speaking.

And (long pause) yes the most important thing is the good taste of music.

You hosted three different programmes, Jukebox, Global Beat and Insomnia. Why was Jukebox and Insomnia stopped?

I've no idea why Jukebox and Insomnia were stopped but I guess it was to promote Nepali music. Many English programme were replaced by Nepali shows.

What types of music do you like to play in your shows?

I usually play all sorts of songs but I go for classic rock and jazz. My favourite bands are Led zeppelin, pearl jam, Doors, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan and so on....

Does music has any importance in your life?

- Music is like air for me, I guess that explains it.

Are you interested in surfing the net?

- Yes I spend hours in net. I love to downloads songs, check mails and.............

Do you ever tune to other F.M?

- Yes, I like Hits FM

We get to hear too many Hindi songs in K.A.T.H. what type of programme is in demand, Hindi, English or Nepal?

There is an equal demand for all the three type of music. But sponsors readily sponsor for Hindi Programmes. That's why there are many Hindi shows.

What are your future plans?

- Just to be happy (laughs) that's all. No more future plans.

Any last words?

Well, (long pause) Thanks that's all.

Rejuvenate spirit of 2046 movement

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathamndu, Mar 17 - Not only were they silently watching and penning the agonies of people. But they were really doing something to heighten the spirit of the people. Yes, putting aside their pens, brush and instruments, they took themselves to the street for freedom of expression.

Eleven years ago on the same day (Chaitra 3, 2046 BS) when litterateurs, artistes and writers including Yuddha Prasad Mishra, Parijat, Mohan Koirala, Basushashi and Kamal Mani Dixit gathered at Saraswati Sadan,, Trichandra College covering their mouths with black bandages to show their disagreement against the then political system. It created a great sensation. It was around two in the afternoon and more than two hundred litterateurs, artistes were sitting silently.

People walking in the street seemed apprehensive at the presence of hundreds of policemen. They could easily guess that something untoward was going to take place.

After a while, dozens of policemen dashed into Saraswati Sadan and started arresting the participants of the protest programme. Octogenarian poet Yuddha Prasad Mishra and Kamal Mani Dixit were put into a van and others were put into trucks. All of them were taken to Baggi Khana (traffic police office) near Singha Durbar.

Following detail inquires to individual they were released at mid-night. Litterateurs continued their struggle till the end. Finally multi-party democracy was established on 2046 Chaitra 26.

Of course a long span of time in the history has elapsed since the restoration of democracy. There is of course a great deal of freedom of expression. But how far have we (writers, artistes) been able to utilize that freedom of expression ? Has it been utilised or misutilised ? Questioned litterateurs here today on the occasion of Writers’ Day.

At a programme organised by Srijana Chaitra Teen to commemorate the day of Chaitra as the Writers’ Day in Nepal various litterateurs and artistes expressed their views that the basic spirit of the movement in 2046 should not be misutilised.

Literatteurs and artistes, as they are the torchbearers of the society, should not undermine the basic spirit of the people’s movement, they say.

Speaking at the function, Bhuwan Lal Pradhan, senior historian, stressed the need to bring changes in the society. However, he said litterateurs and artistes should know how the society can be uplifted. The day (Chaitra 3,2046) when litterateurs and artistes were united for the common cause should not be forgotten. It gives a great lesson to all, he said.

Ninu Chapagain, President of the Progressive Writers Association, pointed out the need to uphold the spirit of 2046 BS. He urged all writers to be self critical and go for soul searching in the present context.

Khagendra Sangraula, a senior progressive writer spoke about the challenges being faced by litterateurs and artistes. The message of 2046 BS should be seriously realised and put into action, he added.

Ashesh Malla, a noted play write, also pointed out the need to materialize the spirit of the People’s Movement of 2046 BS.

Rajendra Salav, an actor and film director, also spoke the need to rejuvenate the real spirit of 2046 BS. We should be very careful about growing anomalies in the society, he said.

Sneha Sayami, coordinator of the Srijana Chaitra Teen spoke highlighted the objective of the programme. Poet Govind Bartman had conducted the programme.

Srijana Chaitra Teen - a literary group of young litterateurs was instituted in 1997.

According to its rules Hari Govind Luintel, has been nominated as this year’s coordinator, it is learnt.