“Jazz Matazz” at Soaltee

By A Staff Reporter

Jazz Commission performing at GG's.

Classical musicians would say, “Some musician in our chamber ensemble are coming to a rehearsal to try out their technical abilities on a contemporary composition that has some interesting ostinato phrases.”

Jazz musicians would say, “Some cats in our combo are coming to a jam session to try out their chops on a happening chart that has some cool riffs.

Soaltee Crowne Plaza is giving the landscape of Kathmandu music scene diversity by presenting the first Jazz concert of the new season on February 24, 2000 at the Megha Malhar, says a press release of the hotel..

This Jazz concert will feature Chris Masand, Elaine and his group of talented musicians together known as “Jazz Commission” and other invited musicians all based in Kathmandu and actively promoting Jazz music in Kathmandu for the last three years. This concert will also feature Abhaya Subba Weise in special peformance.

Together the musicians’ posses a repertoire that spans music from Jazz to funk to blues to R&B, Rock, Pop and Soul; from ragtime through contemporary Jazz from Joplin to Jaco!

This concert cum dinner heralds in a season of musical voyage in the Soaltee Crowne Plaza as part of the hotel’s vision to bring in quality entertainment to Kathmandu.

This Jazz concert is produced in association with Infinity International an event management company promoted by Mrs. Prateema Pande and Mrs. Sangeeta Thapa, both of them prominent figures in the Kathmandu social circle.

Infinity International’s vision of producing and promoting quality event in Kathmandu is in concurrence with Soaltee Crowne Plaza’s own vision of quality entertainment in Kathmandu.

LOSAR: The Tibetan New Year

By Lakpa Tenzing

Bouddhanath, a popular destination during Losar.

The Buddhist community is an integral part of the Nepalese society. Though Nepal is a predominantly Hindu Kingdom, there are many Nepalese who follow the Buddhist religion as well.

The people following Buddhist religion in this Kingdom are mainly those from the extreme Northern sector and also people from the Gurung community and a few others. By people from the far North, we mean the world famous people of Tibetan origin living in Nepal.

One of the main festival of these people is the Losar which was celebrated just a few weeks back. Losar is their New Year. And like the Hindus celebrating their greatest festival of Dashain, or the Christians celebrating Christmas, these people celebrate Losar with great enthusiasm.

Losar falls in the month of Fecruary, when Spring is just peeping round the corner in Nepal. This is one of the best seasons here and it is even better for those celebrating Losar because, while having a festive time, they also have the weather on their side.

It is written in folklore that an evil demon was killed at this time of the year and a guardian of Buddhism was born. Losar came into being from that time. Therefore, one can understand that visiting monastries and stupas and also praying to the Lord for blessings are a part of this festival.

Losar is celebrated all over the Kingdom. But it is easier to notice it in Kathmandu. You may be noticing even now Losar has just been celebrated because, the colourful look you will see around the famous Buddhist shrines in Kathmandu are the remnants of this festival which was celebrated very recently.

People following this religion wear colourful new clothes, burn incense and butter lamps in their houses and decorate Buddhist stupas with colourful flags during the festival. So you can feel this festival in the air even before it actually arrives.

These hardy lot coming from the mountainous and cold parts of the kingdom are a cheerful and robust people. They love to sing and dance and as can be expected, they love alcoholic drinks as well.

Whereas Hindu followers are mostly banned from drinking alcoholic drinks, specially during religious occasions, the Sherpas and Tibetans and others like them are free to drink almost at all times.

Like the festival of all other people, Losar is a time for eating, drinking and making merry apart from the religious part. Right from the senior member of a family to the little ones all enjoy Losar with gusto.

Like we mentioned already, the preparation for the celebration of Losar starts quite a few days before the actual day of the festival. Houses are scrubbed clean and decorations are put up. Every religious community does this at times of their festival. Hindus do this Christians do this and this community of the people also do the same in preparation for their greatest festival.

Religious flags are fixed at the top of the roofs and pine boughs are fixed on the doors to bring luck and good cheer. While the women busy themselves with the cooking and cleaning chores, the men go about getting things together.

Women don’t fail to make a type of biscuit which is U-shaped and it is called the Khabze. Other foods which are a favorite during this festival are sweets for the children, fruits, noodle and meat for everyone and alcoholic drinks for the adults. The alcoholic drinks consists of two different varieties, one is Chhang which is like beer, but sometimes can be sweet, the other is rakshi, which is pure liquor and gives a good kick.

But along with the eating and drinking, prayers are also offered. People visit the stupas and monasteries and pay respects to both Lord Buddha and also the monks. In return the monks give blessings and also perform dances to the monotonous tune of rhythmic drums.

The practice in Losar is also for the younger people to go and pay respect to their elders at their house. Gatherings are usually made at the house of the eldest of a family. Khatas, which is a white strip cloth, is given for good luck and flowers are also presented.

The festive look and feelings are there days before the festival actually begins. The hustle bustle in Tibetan and Sherpa households, the decoration of monasteries and stupas and the even more brighter look in the faces of these perennially cheerful people are some of the signs one may be able to see.

On the actual day, the religious ceremonies are performed in the first part of the day, then the feasting starts, and by night, the celebrations will include music, singing and dancing.

It may be mentioned that, Losar used to be celebrated for several days in the distant past. But the people can’t afford to make merry for a long time at present competitive period. Work takes ones time and naturally without work, one can’t have many things.

But celebrate Losar they do, and they do it in much style and superb manner in their own different way.