Music is everywhere in Nepal: in temple courtyards at dawn, in wedding processions and in Kathmandu's live music bars at night.
Quick answer: Listen for the madal (a hand drum), the sarangi (a bowed fiddle traditionally played by Gandharva musicians), and panche baja, the "five instruments" band at weddings. Dohori is a sung question-and-answer duel. Famous dances include the masked Lakhe of Kathmandu and the Maruni dance at Tihar.
Instruments
- Madal: the heartbeat of Nepali folk music.
- Sarangi: a carved, bowed instrument. Gandharva musicians traditionally travelled between villages singing news and stories.
- Bansuri: bamboo flute.
- Panche baja: drums, cymbals and horns at weddings and festivals.
- Dhime: big Newar drums in festival processions.
Dance
- Lakhe: a masked demon dance, especially at Indra Jatra.
- Maruni: a dance performed during Tihar.
- Tharu stick dance in Chitwan and Bardia.
- Sherpa and Tibetan circle dances at Losar.
Where to listen
Dohori restaurants in Kathmandu and Pokhara serve dinner with live folk songs and dance. Thamel has live music bars. See Kathmandu nightlife. For something different, catch a festival procession.