‘We don’t teach that to females,’ they were told. They learned anyway

Four years ago, the Biratnagar Metropolitan City Office allocated Rs0.5 million to support local women in learning the naumati baja. The initiative came after sustained efforts by Sangita Karki Bhandari and two of her friends. Bhandari had gone to Itahari to attend her relative’s wedding. Returning home, she had developed a growing interest and inspiration to play traditional musical instruments. Along with her friends, she urged the Metropolitan Office for almost two years, finally securing the budget and renting a space to learn naumati baja, which comprises an ensemble of two narsingha, two damahas, two sanais, one tyamko, one dholaki, and one jhyamta. Restrictive cultural perceptions regarding gender and caste were the main barriers to their initiative. “No women from Chhetri and Bahun communities had participated initially,” says Bhandari. With advocacy and encouragement, they gathered 32 women from all 19 wards of Biratnagar. The elderly male musicians from the area taught them how to play the instruments. Today, there are four female-led musical groups in Biratnagar, including Bhandari’s 9-member group, ‘Srijansheel Naumati Panchebaja’. “Currently, we simply enjoy being in a band,” shares Bhandari. “A promising way to spend time, rather than staying alone at home.” She adds that playing in the ceremonies has also been a way for members of the group to cope with stress. The idea of women playing folk instruments in Nepal was once considered revolutionary. At a time