Echoes in the Valley: An experiment to preserve, promote Nepal’s local music

Playing at the Bunte Republik Neustadt (BRN) festival in Dresden of Germany in 2016, Rizu Tuladhar, the bassist of Asian-fusion ensemble Kanta dAb dAb , was pleasantly surprised. Playing at a pathway in front of someone’s house, Tuladhar felt that something like this could be emulated in Nepal.

“We saw an entire neighbourhood take part in the festival. They put a stage on the pathway in front of their houses as the audience would be on the road listening, singing and immersing themselves in the festival,” says Tuladhar. “Kathmandu didn’t even need that, it already had dabalis that was meant for this very purpose.”