Resonance, a satellite music event under the umbrella of Echoes of the Valley, takes Echoes out of the city to collaborate with communities who hold the belief that intangible heritage should be showcased as valid even today. Last Saturday, March 17, it was Banepa that vibrated with this Resonance. The day kicked off with a procession of bhajan and traditional dances through old Banepa town. Two stages were used throughout the day— at Teen Dhara Dabu and Thanpati Narayan Temple.

 

As the crowd wandered between the two venues they were invited to view an art exhibition at the Lokeshwor Temple and enjoy Newari food and “chang” (Newari rice beer). The crowd ebbed and flowed but at noon Earth’a caught the crowd with their blend of distinctive sounds and ideas. Then, running back up the hill to the tem­ple, the crowd was treated to the sounds of the Percussion Ensemble from the Indian Cul­ture Center before descending again to the dhara to witness the unique sounds of Marta del Grande from Italy. The crowd swelled to hear her influences of jazz through to electronics and were entranced when she performed with local musi­cians, and Indian Classical singer Chandresha Pandey. Ason Gunla Baja Khala then took the vibe back to its roots through Buddhist Newari devotional music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By then the local crowd was committed and ready for the Word Warriors to perform their spoken word poetry in Newari, Nepali and English. Chandresha Pandey made a second appearance in Zeromile, with Ranzen pro­viding electronic accompani­ment. The beats and melodies were inspired by the classical tradition of India, with the temple setting elevating the experience.

 

By the time Mi Ku and Ma took to the stage the temple was atmospherically lit and the enthusiastic crowd was overflowing and jostling for space. Combining contem­porary folk with witty poetry and sounds from sarangi to guitar, Mi Ku had the crowd swaying. Credit must go to Pushpa Palanchok, vocalist in both bands, for her some­times comic, poetry, beautiful voice, and stage presence. It was a magical end to a won­derful day.

 

Echoes of the Valley and the Resonance Edition is an initiative of, and organized by, Kanta dAb dAb, in collab­oration with Kutumba, Night, and the Banepa Institute of Music and Arts.

 

For information,

echoesinthevalley.com