Paddy Dance in Limbu culture

-Bikram Kangbha Subba

As Limbu is one of the main ethnic   groups of Nepal, it has its own  distinct culture. Paddy dance is considered to be one of the most popular of their customs and is a historical dance which represents an intrinsic entity of Lumbu culture. The literal meaning of Paddy dance in Lumbi is Yalang formed by the Yoke of two distinctly separate terons. ‘Ya’ means paddy, and ‘Lang’ means dance. So, it is harvest dance. The essence of Yalang is palam - a poetic expression which synchronises with the dance. The dance steps and the ways of traversing are carefully strutured in Yalang. Yalang can be danced following the rhythm of Palam without any accompaniment of musical instruments. Both sexes, from teenagers to adults, participate in the dance with great zeal as it is regarded as a perfect means for healthy entertainment as well as a means of exchanging romantic feelings among the familiar ones or newly introduced.

According to some Limbu scholars, it is said that this dance originated as people threshed the grains from dried paddy plants. In the past, there was no custom of using oxen to thresh rice grains as is done today. So, young men and women peasants from the village had to group together and thresh the grains by trampling on them. As it was a hard and tedious job, taking up the whole day and night, they used to sing to drive away their weariness. Their way of trampling turned into a form of Paddy dance - Yalang. This is how the step of Paddy dance resembles the step of trampling paddy. Thus, the custom of singing when crushing the paddy, subsequently, transformed itself into a way of exchanging feelings.

Gradually, it became so significant among the Limbu community that it turned into a tradition. In the past, as there were no ways of taking recreation, people led a boring life. So, Yalang happened to be their only outlet for merrymaking and love affairs. Mostly, the first half of a Limbu’s life is passed by indulging in Yalang. And it could really seed an unforgettable moment which could be recollected in the second half of their life.

Yalang is performed by men and women clasping hands in a circle or line and each has to choose his or her partner among them, and then each has to approach one another. The introductory part commences among the participants before the dance, because it is against the custom to dance to a  love song among relatives.

After the introductory discussion, they turn the themes of their conversation towards love and life through formal and tactful expressions. They use symbolic and metaphoric language respectfully to win the hearts of each other. They compare their love to flowers using alluring and stimulating words. Similarly, they compare their life with birds, rivers, waterfalls, nature, wind etc. Their uninterrupted poetic expression could last for 3/4 days and can form an epic. Their innermost feelings about love and life are elevated to an extreme at the climax. As a result, the two different souls and bodies may lose themselves in the imaginative world they create. The involved pairs in Yalang do not feel the passing of days and nights. They become oblivious to the rain, sun, heat, cold and storm. This dance is usually arranged at evening in the markets and fairs or to entertain guests. They are not supposed to taint their sacred and immortal love by their sexual desire. They pay a high value to spiritual love than lust.

At first sight, Yalang doesn’t look appealing and exciting to the spectators. But it is really enchanting to those who are involved in the dance. The ecstasy of Yalang lies in Palam. The presentation of the Paddy Dance harmonises the beauty of nature which becomes intensely real. It is not so easy to display this dance, since rhythmic and melodious tones are required, so only the experts can show its art to the fullest. There are mainly two stages of Palam - Mayapi and Semmui. Mayapi is the classical discussion of a love relationship. It is usually full of delight and romantic discussions between sweet hearts. They both feel the responsibility of caring for their eternal love - the love that generates a profound feeling of integration and intimacy. Semmui, on the otherhand, is usually sung at the end, just before they part and is full of the pathos of separation, frustration and the uncertainty of love and life. They also bitterly express their fears of adverse situations that may be fatal to their newly bloomed love, because they may not meet again. Thus, it becomes really hard for them to endure the affliction caused by their parting. And often, tears are shed as the candle melts and they depart with moist eyes as well as aching souls.

But nowadays, it is not taken as seriously and is not celebrated as exuberantly as before. So, the significance of Paddy dance is fading , day after day and it is upto us to preserve the glory of this culture.

Do we need a separate fine art academy?

-Ajit Baral

Provenance of art can be traced as far back as the dawn of civilization. Art and civilization have traversed thousands of years of vicissitude not only cheek by jowl, but also with mutual and constructive give and take. And, art is reflective of times and civilization.  If cave painting portrayed the primordial civilization, then, present day art portrays modern civilization.  Art helps to bring to life, civilizations, the culture of an era -- a history. Apart from this, does art of the past have any relevance in present day society and, can it keep its relevance intact in the coming future? Is Pablo Picasso’s ‘Guernica’, or Edward Munch’s ‘The Scream’ as significant today as it was before? Though a work of art belongs to a particular era, its significance isn’t necessarily confined to that era alone. But rather, its influence seeps into future eras. Ultimately, works of art immortalize particular events or moments.   

Looking at Picasso’s ‘Guernica,’ we are bound to enter the days of the Spanish Civil War with its horridness and absurdities and it reminds us of the futility of war. Similarly, Munch’s ‘The scream’ takes us into an individualistic feeling for nature screaming one evening when he, Munch, was walking by the road, beside the sea. He painted the cloud blood red and shrieking, the figure with its mouth full agape- all consistent with the theme of nature screaming. Looking at ‘The Scream’, we stand witness to an artist’s experience of nature screaming as he walks by. These paintings, which is true for all works of art, contain inexhaustible reservoirs of feeling and artistic sensibility. The more you look at them the more new forms and feelings get divulged.  It opens up different possibilities that can be explored. Ergo, the work of art is eternally relevant.   

Moreover, as Indian writer and critic, Pankaj Mishra, writes: “It is steadily accumulating literature (this is true of other arts as well) that creates a nation’s self-awareness”. Thus, art, which creates a nation’s self-awareness, should be revived and given a continuity. In this context, the demand for a separate fine art academy is justified. When we look through the perspective of prevailing conditions and the situation of art in Nepal, then this demand seems even more germane and pressing. 

NAFA and Nepal Rajkiya Pragya Pratisthan (NRPP):With the intention of reviving and developing the rich culture of art in Nepal, the then prince, Birendra Bikram Shah Dev, established the only national level art institution namely, the National Academy of Fine Art (NAFA). But, because of certain inherent reasons that have to do with ‘try-to-make-one’s- end-meet-tendency’, it led to the dissolution of NAFA and its subsequent merger with NRPP. Art is gradual evolution. It takes time… lots of time to evolve an art…a modern art that is representative of a particular time and tradition. No doubt NAFA failed to accelerate the pace of evolution of art by directing its effort over a longer period of time, but even the merger with NRPP has not brought the desired changes to the field of Nepalese art.

Instead, NRPP has been shackled by budgetary constraints. How can it contribute to the development of various arts with the meager budget it is allocated with? Whether it is solely because of budgetary constraint or otherwise, it doesn’t organize seminars pertaining to art where artists around the country could participate, exchange their thoughts and ideas and talk about experiments being done and new concepts and techniques being used in western countries for the benefit of all artists. NRPP has no mechanism as such, to encourage anonymous but talented artists to persevere towards an aesthetic in art. It holds only one exhibition per year, which doesn’t quire suffice to bring gifted artists into the media glare. Sans any state-sponsored help, artists are either left to fend for themselves or, wither away with lack of incentive. Artists of today are feeling a sense of déjà vu that their sovereignty has been infringed upon by the predominance of litterateurs in NRPP.

Artists and Art circles: Inactivity of NAFA and the Academy led to the re-grouping of artists. With the intention of asserting oneself in the contemporary Nepalese art scene, different art circles started to form. If on the one hand the formation of art circles allowed different artists to emerge in the national art scene, through the flurry of activities in these circles, on the other hand, it redoubled the petty individual gains and facilitated the unethical practice of leg-pulling other co-artists, by demeaning their works of art or otherwise. The propensity of encouraging the members of one’s circle and helping them win awards, unfairly, in different art competitions led to the polarization of artists, and artists started to speak through a different medium, rather than speaking through   their works of art. Thus, Nepalese artists are living in disharmony rather than fostering each other. 

Patronage and commercialization: Patronage, for the development of art, is indispensable; without patronage art tends to wither away. If medieaval art in Europe and Mallakaleen era in Nepal flourished, it was because of the patronage artists received from the states and individuals. Artists of this era were able to devote their time entirely on creation without worrying about the niggling feeling of having to earn a lively hood. In sharp contrast, today’s artists are persistently gnawed by the need to earn bread and butter. The only recourse available for them is to go commercial; the concomitant result being the loss of creativity and sensibility- the essence of art. Painters like M.F Hussain can be commercial without sacrificing creativity and sensibility, for people buy his paintings because of the name associated with his paintings. But, Nepalese artists are compelled to forego the essence of art and make souvenir types of paintings, which tourists buy and which are their only source of income. How can art develop in this state?    

Critiques and discerning audiences: Herbert Read, the author of ‘The Philosophy of Modern Art’, has written “…contemporary artists must form the taste and recruit the public (through the intermediary of the art critic, in himself a modern phenomenon) on whose patronage he will then depend”. So, the role of art critic in making the artists’ works of art known to the public through print media and then influencing the public to buy the works of art is paramount. Sadly, there is no art critic of calibre who can influence the public and help develop  Nepalese art. Also, we lack discerning audiences who have the ability to distinguish real works of art from the imitations, who value works of art, and who are not influenced by the self-created hollowness, which our artists are prone to do. Even bitter is the situation: we don’t have the tradition of buying paintings even if it’s for decorative purposes.  And art is not associated with prestige and erudition as in other countries, so there is no rush towards art exhibitions and collections of paintings. Similarly, we don’t educate students in all the aspects of art. Thus, awareness of art is next to nil in our country.

We should hanker for a separate fine art academy, which can work towards developing the fine art of our country. But as we are infested with the national malaise of directing a noble idea towards meeting one’s own petty needs, we should be chary of those who float this idea of a separate fine art academy, so that they don’t exploit this noble idea for their own benefit but direct their effort and time to promote and develop art and culture in our country.     

We are Frustrated

-Santosh Babu Aryal

The recent case of alleged tampering of the MA results shows that something is seriously wrong with our education system. A few students, who were anticipating to come away with flying colours, saw the whole edifice of their hopes crumble in front of their eyes when the second year MA results were published. The failure of a university topper of the former year with six other toppers is well-nigh incredible, if not impossible. But “hawa na aayee paat hallindaina” must be remembered. In retrospect, rumours were always in the air about our reckless marking system and this surprising case has provided ample room to doubt the efficiency of our education system.

On more scores than one, it can be said that something is going wrong with our education system. Once, having driven by zeal to take environmental science class, I somehow made my way through a window into the class where there were three times as many students as the capacity of the class (no wonder, it was govt. college under TU.). Though the unavailability of disciplines like information technology, police science, aeronautical engineering etc. can be attributed to the poor economic condition of the university (a reflection of the country’s economy, nothing less), how does the university account for its inability to provide enough seats in disciplines which are not too expensive and which are available? And in what way can an education system, which does not provide us with much choice, be considered good?

Our education system can not be considered good because it is a blighted system. Politics is the blight of our education system. Besides regular admission, the admission of students in the colleges through “union” is not unheard of. All you have to do is get a recommendation from party-workers or any political institution which belongs to the same party as the “union” itself. And I think it will be the truth to call such a system - a blighted system. Because of this trend, despite their calibre and talent, students who are unable to bring recommendations can not get admission. In this respect these colleges also seem helpless because these “unions” have their mother party as their backers.

It is quite ridiculous for our education system to come forward with useless programmes like “Mauka parikshya” (chance examination). Anyway, your one year is lost though you are given chance to take this exam because results are out only after the admission in colleges are closed. Yet another attempt of updating the course to make our education system good also seems fruitless. This is because the updating of the course at the higher level is not synchronised with that in the lower levels thus, consequently, the gap in between has increased. In this respect it seems that bigwigs have not yet lost their wisdom teeth, for they are coming forth with ideas which have created further chasmic rifts in the system.

Lastly, we waited ten years hoping for pigs to fly but nothing so nice as that came about. Our education system couldn’t come forward with concrete changes but frequently manifested its lax and politicisation in cases as mentioned above. This frustrates us and in our frustration we sometimes feel that, to us, democracy is nothing more than a snare, which enticed our education system to get entrapped in scornful politics. And the question “how long are we to become the scapegoats for the laxity of our poor education system?” still haunts our mind.

Santana on a Grammy High

Carlos Santana, whose career caught fire when he gave a scorching  performance at Woodstock in 1969, received 10 Grammy nominations for his commercial comeback album, “Supernatural.”

The 52-year-old guitarist, who previously had received just five nominations overall, led all nominees for the 42nd annual Grammys.

“Supernatural,” Santana’s best-selling collaboration with such stars as Eric Clapton and Lauryn Hill, was nominated for best album and rock album.

Santana was also nominated for record of the year for “Smooth,” which featured Rob Thomas of matchbox 20 and was Santana’s first No. 1 single. “Smooth” and Santana’s “Love of My Life” with Dave Matthews accounted for two of the five nominees for pop vocal collaboration.

“I’ve heard that the way the music rules apply, only 17 to 27 years old is cool. Well, surprise,” Santana said. “You know, there’s a reason why teen-agers listen to ’60s music, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Santana: They need to pass through us to get to their thing.”

In pop music categories, the group TLC was second with six nominations for the album “FanMail.”

“I was really shocked,” TLC member Chilli said. “I can’t wait to call my group members because they have no idea.”

Besides album of the year, TLC’s nominations included best rhythm and blues album, record of the year for “No Scrubs,” and pop vocal performance by a duo or group for “Unpretty.”

Classical conductor Pierre Boulez also received six nominations. Other multiple nominees included Asleep at the Wheel with five, and the Backstreet Boys, Dixie Chicks, Emmylou Harris, Hill and Whitney Houston, all with four apiece.

The best new artist nominees were Christina Aguilera, Macy Gray, Kid Rock, Britney Spears and Susan Tedeschi.

Besides Santana’s “Smooth,” other nominees for record of the year were “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys, “Believe” by Cher, “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin and “No Scrubs” by TLC.

The other album of the year nominees were “Millennium” by Backstreet Boys, “Fly” by the Dixie Chicks and “When I Look in Your Eyes” by Diana Krall.

By nominating Asleep at the Wheel for five awards and band leader Ray Benson for one, Grammy voters showed a taste for western swing music - which combines big band and country.

The group is up for best country album for “Ride With Bob”; best country instrumental for “Bob’s Breakdown”; best long form music video; and is twice nominated for best country collaboration with vocals, one for a duet with the Dixie Chicks and the other for one featuring Manhattan Transfer and Willie Nelson.

“This is just wonderful,” Benson said. “It’s infectious kind of music to make, crossing all those borders into pop and jazz and all that. I think it brings a musicality quotient because it’s a kind of music which takes a good bit of musical ability to play.”

Santana, whose only Grammy win is a rock instrumental award in 1988, also picked up nominations for pop instrumental for “El Farol,” pop vocal performance by a duo or group for “Maria” and rock instrumental for “The Calling,” a collaboration with Clapton.

Santana has put out 29 albums over 30 years, but it has been many years since he has had a major commercial success. He said that the nominations Tuesday were gratifying but that he had never felt slighted.

“Things come when they come,” Santana said. “I always felt my reward was for Miles Davis to call my house, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Buddy Guy, B.B. King. When people like these call my house, those are my Grammys, my Oscars, my Emmys, my Tonys. I know I’m connected with some of the very, very important people on the planet.”

The Grammys will be awarded on Feb. 23, 2000   in a CBS broadcast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Hello Sasonians

Are these the paradoxes that we are leaving behind
the paradox of the times we live in is...
We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers
Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints
We spend more, but have less
We buy more, but enjoy it less.

 We have bigger houses and smaller families
More conveniences, but less time.
We have more degrees, but less sense
More knowledge, but less judgment
More experts, but more problems
More medicine, but less wellness.

 We spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
Drive too fast, get too angry too quickly,
Stay up too late, get up too tired,
Read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

 We talk too much, love too seldom,
And lie too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We’ve added years to life, not life to years.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back
But have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.

 We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space.
We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice.
We write more, but learn less.
Plan more, but accomplish less.

We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait
We have higher incomes
But lower morals
More food but less appeasement
More acquaintances, but fewer friends
More effort but less success.

We build more computers to hold more information,
To produce more copies than ever, but have less communication.
We’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion.
Tall men, and short character
Steep profits, and shallow relationships.

These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare
More leisure, and less fun
More kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce
Of fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers,
Throwaway morality, one-night stands,
Overweight bodies, and pills that do
Everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the show window,
And nothing in the stockroom.
Indeded it’s all true.

- Anonymous

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