Track 18 - Dhanna Jovan Dhaaneko

Abstract

Now retired from his service as a member of the King's guard, Subi Shah has dedicated the last 14 years to documenting the folk music and dances that he remembers from his childhood in Dhading Jyamrung, in the Gandaki region northwest of the Kathmandu Valley. During his youth Shah was a dancer, and most often took the "female" part or maruni in situations where female dancers were not permitted. While in the service of the palace he was often called upon to dance or perform on the flute for festivals and official functions. In addition to this folk song compilation, Shah has collected lyrics and notation for hundreds of folk songs, and has devised a dance notation to document the dances that accompany them. He currently teaches traditional music to students at a private school in Kathmandu, and has recently completed a manual on his primary instrument, the murali vertical flute (2005).