DOCUMENTARY FILMS – CREATING PUBLIC DISCOURSE ON GRASSROOTS LEVEL
NO MOVEMENT ON THE GROUND – DOCUMENTARY FILM PRESENTED BY BINDHU ART REGIMENT
“We supports and inspires creatives who questions unhealthy dogma and narratives in society through art, films, writings, cultural practices and non violent creative campaigns integrating art, media, and technology to nurture impact “
Gandarva village entrance
Gandharva village located in Kechana, Jhapa, Indian Border. Kechana village is located at eastern Nepal- jhapa border to India 8km away also the lowest altitude of Nepal Kanchan kawal lies here. This village witnessed historical land settlement of 1970 B.S, a movement led by the late King Mahendra of bringing back Nepali families from Burma and India. Families who migrated from Burma and India were extremely religious and practiced Hinduism strictly.
The outer layer of the village is largely covered with these families, Gandarvas have somehow found their settlement in the middle. In the times where untouchability was still in practice in Nepal their quest for dignity was never Gandarvas have contributed immensely to our country’s musical heritage. In Hinduism, Gandharva are regarded to be the celestial demigods who serve as the musicians of the devas(gods) and bought connections from heaven to earth, not just mythology but the way they existed and contributed to our society clarifies and states their importance in time memorials. Previous generations of Gandharvas kept the Culture alive and made folk tunes, sang stories of people’s mundane life, entertained everyone, provided social commentary news, and healed people with their minstrel performances. Undoubtedly Gandharvas served as a poet, historian, and journalist long before the advent of radio in Nepal and expandes the sensibilities of writing music. They created a large spectrum of rhythmic writing and trans melody in music.
They traveled relentless as nomadic performing their music in different landscapes of country through out the year. Today Gandarvas are recognized as dalits in present society. The community crafted such a glorious Musical tradition, served and entertained us for such a long time how we are repaying, something to be discussed.
Gandarvas Laying foundation of dream museum year 2076
The last 5years Gandarva music museum has been an incubation process. In 2076 they received X amount of funds for their dream museum project which still was insufficient. After the change in powers inside the organisation they decided to complete the dream museum project with a new campaign(save our culture) traveling from Mechi to Mahakali and performing their music. They state this campaign as a new methodology of preserving their traditional minstrel practice and advocating dignity in contemporary society. Minstrels have few demands from the present government which they aspire to receive from this campaign as they reach the Nation’s capital Kathmandu to end the campaigning journey “SAVE OUR CULTURE”.
The last three months minstrels are on a relentless traveling journey performing at various municipalities, public spaces and advocating dignity, raising funds through music of their pastoral tradition. Currently they are receiving tremendous response from different mayors, province ministers and local stakeholders. Currently mayor of Dharan Harka sampang has taken this campaign initiative into the action of preserving Gandarva culture and helping to raise funds for the museum. Today Gandarvas have learned to organise themselves rather than being nomadic clarifies Kanka Bogoti gandarva( founder of Gandarva uplift society). He recalls how chaotic the conflict was before, it took many years to educate people inside the community to understand the importance of being organised in modern society. Mr.Bogati states “The first challenge was to educate people of our community and second to fight for dignity and our rights”.
The former president explains “museum as new methodology to restore their places in society and cultural history of the Nation. Further explains organisation plans to develop into the center of attraction and emerge themselves as potential citizens to contribute in the development of society. This museum will help us to participate or be active in society “. “The society which never equals us how we can fight with them being marginalized? Setting up the museum of our glorious historical musical traditions will be an answer. This museum will also remain the symbol of humiliation for our community“ states president of Gandarva uplift society.
What’s the common understanding of museums for people who barely can read or write – museum in cities have different intellectual discourses but in this tiny village the case is different. Raised in predicament how the idea of museums arosed in minstrels mind and what motivates them?
“This documentary was not a film for me but the urge to bring these public discourse and seek answers and peeping through their sense of awareness and wisdom of life, This documentary illuminates how they have lived life deprived of dignity and their rights “ Saugat upreti
Who decides the worth of Man / women, he himself or herself should be aware of one’s place of existence in life and society. Today Gandarvas are listed as marginalized and underprivileged which is absolutely obscene – the communities which glorified Nations musical and cultural history, what have we given them is return ? Sympathy in life and condolences at death what else.
We have further planned the screening event at Municipality office event hall of Kanchan kawal in the presence of a local stake holder and public mass of two wards( 2 and 4). We want people of diverse cultural communities to enjoy this documentary at our screening event and also recanalize acceptance and tolerance of diversity we live in. Stakeholder of both municipalities has shown keen interest to take this initiative of screening with public discourse and acknowledge the possibility of celebrating cultural diversity through this event.
Director meets chairman of kanchankawal VDC for screening event
DOCUMENTARY FILMS – CREATING PUBLIC DISCOURSE ON GRASSROOTS LEVEL
Our goal is to promote cultural dignity in our society through our art, and we believe that this film will help us to advocate. Gandarva Community is underprivileged and deprived of dignity. Using our art as a medium of reflection of our society and culture we made documentary as a clear mirror and gave it back to communities. We hope people can overlook the loop holes inside society and generate necessary support policy from local stakeholders and administration.
We intended to use documentary film as a medium to bring critical discourses in the society in the presence Local stakeholders and communities. We believe everything in society is intermingled, and change happens through implementation of policy. Regardless, we can penetrate individual conscience to see the distinction between fair and unfair. We wanted to document overshadowed stories and situations of Gandarvas to help them retain their dignity in existing society. Through this documentary we could tell the local community about their history, culture and impact of their music before. We believe this educational process of sharing and cultural exchange with community people gave them a sense of worth and motivated them to keep the culture alive - as we intend – saugat upreti | film maker
Using our art as a medium of reflection of our society and culture we want to make a documentary as a clear mirror and give it back to communities. We hope people can overlook the loop holes inside society and generate necessary support policy. Our goal is to promote cultural dignity in our society through our art, and we believe that this film will help us to advocate.community is underprivileged and deprived of dignity. Through this musical documentary film, we hope to motivate them to be proud of their pastoral musical culture and inspire local youth to appreciate the depth of their musical history/ tradition. At the present time life stories of individual musicians, like Shiva Gandharva and Narbahadur Gaine, illuminates how even the most skillful music-making has not provided the needed social status and economic security but rather demotivates the coming generation to pick up the musical instruments passed from forefathers rather look for daily wage work.
