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On Different Track
Bhojpure is a singer, music composer, lyricist and a writer who started a couple of new trends during his time
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Bhojpure : Unique Style |
By THAKUR AMGAI
When Hiranya Bhojpure played in the woods and hills of the eastern district of Bhojpur more than half a century back, listened to the devotional and folk songs her mother sang or walked up and down the hill to find out the range in which the gramophone record of his uncle could be heard, he did not have the slightest idea that he will be the equally sought after singer and writer in future.
Neither his friends nor his relatives were aware of his innate talent in singing and writing. Bhojpure’s talent slowly became known when he formed ‘Naba Kala Kunj’ with his friends in Hetauda.
Bhojpure who had joined a science college in Kathmandu after completion of high school education from Jhapa, had gone to Hetauda with his father after he lost interest and failed in college. “Probably I was destined to excel in art and music, so I failed I. Sc.,” Bhojpure said.
He got inspired to write poems after he read a couple of anthology of poems written by Kedar Man Byathit. And one cold winter day his aspiration took shape. As the patches of clouds were slowly rising up from the ground, a poetic sense touched his mind and the verses ‘Thandiko Ek Diwasma, Badalko Awaranma, Dekhepachhi Yahan Pachhadi, Lukchhin Ek Kumari’ came out of his mind. This was his first creation.
A couple of days later, the poem won the first prize in a poetry contest in Hetauda.
When he became involved in Naba Kala Kunja, he had to write more songs and sing on the stage. During concerts, cultural shows or dramas, they required many songs and Bhojpure along with his friends actively got involved in it. He remembers that his solo voice had become very popular in Hetauda then.
Bhojpure came to Kathmandu to participate in contests at Radio Nepal . After staying in Hetauda for three years, upon the request of Urmila Shrestha, who later got tied in nuptial knot with Bhojpure, he shifted to Kathmandu . He started singing duets with Urmila Shrestha, Nirmala Shrestha and in groups with likeminded friends like Ganesh Rasik.
Bhojpure and his group has done a lot of new experiments in singing during this time. For the first time in the history of Nepali music they started singing non lyrical poems. He still believes that there should be no separation between poems and songs. “All songs are poems before they are sung and all poems become songs when they are sung,” he says.
He sang songs such as ‘Rato Bhale Kwayen, Kwayen, Sutkerilai Khwayen’, ‘Nakhelnu Juwa Ra Tas, Dhanko Nash, Jiwan ko Banbas’ and so on. He sang patriotic songs like ‘Lahara Pahara Chhaharako Desh’.
In the early days of his career, Bhojpure won the best lyricist award consecutively twice at the annual nationwide contest at the Radio Nepal.
Then, Bhojpure and his friends decided to form a group ‘Lekali Samuha’. The group performed at stage programs and became very popular in those days. It was very active for about a decade during which time it performed at various concerts and earned both fame and money.
There were other musical groups namely ‘Ralpha’ and ‘Raktim’ during that time. But ‘Lekali’ was the group which was fully devoted to culture and music. However, some of its songs were alleged of being influenced by political motives. One song ‘Hara Hara Mahadev Pani Deu Deu’ that the group sang in a concert in 2028 was accused of being politically colored.
Bhojpure, who has made an identity of singing said he believes that songs are not for purely entertainment but also for creating a level of awareness among the public. This is probably the reason why many of Bhojpure’s songs are jam-packed with weighty words and lessons such as ‘Nakhelnu Juwa Ra Tas, Dhanko Nash Jiwna ko Banbas’ (which urges people to refrain from gambling).
Apart from the musical field, Bhojpure is well known and popular for his writing. His stories and novels are written in typical dialect of rural Nepal and are widely read and appreciated.
Till date, Bhojpure has written over one hundred songs and sang a matching number of songs. He has published more than a dozen books.
Bhojpure has just released an album ‘Ak Anjuli Gham’ in which he has experimented by singing songs in Newari and even English. He is preparing to bring out an album of devotional songs now.
His novel ‘Sagarmathabhanda Mathi’ is just released and now he is writing a collection of travelogues collecting his experiences of living in USA with his children and relatives.
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