Saturday, December 02, 2006

The New Nepali National Anthem

राष्ट्रिय गान
सयौं थूंगा फूलका हामी, एउटै माला नेपाली
सार्वभौम भइ फैलिएका, मेची-महाकाली ।

प्रकृतिका कोटी-कोटी सम्पदाको आंचल
वीरहरुका रगतले, स्वतन्त्र र अटल ।

ज्ञानभूमि, शान्तिभूमि तराई, पहाड, हिमाल
अखण्ड यो प्यारो हाम्रो मातृभूमि नेपाल ।

बहुल जाति, भाषा, धर्म, संस्कृति छन् विशाल
अग्रगामी राष्ट्र हाम्रो, जय जय नेपाल ।
No matter what your political affiliations are, you have to agree with me on one thing. The new national anthem of Nepal is indeed a masterpiece. Within 46 words, the poet has successfully encompassed everything that Nepal is about – the history, the people and the geography.

Byakul Maila should be commended for producing this masterpiece. I have to admit that when I first heard about the new Nepali national anthem being selected, I took it as another politically motivated decision and the end product would be crappy. But kudos to the selection committee as well. This is a very well-balanced writing.

Many, including myself, will be sad to see Sriman Gambhir go. I don’t care much about the words, but the tune was good and was something I grew up humming. And when I think of the Nepali national anthem, that will probably always be the first tune that comes to mind. But part of that sadness is the paradigm that is set in my mind. If I step out of it and think openly, the current words are much more meaningful to us as Nepalis, than the previous ones. Nepal is definitely not about the king and monarchy alone. It is about Nepal and the Nepalis.

You have to appreciate something that deserves to be appreciated. The new Nepali national anthem has excellent wordings. It will be interesting to see what kind of melody and music will give it the final form. If the composer does as good a job as the poet, we have ourselves a great national anthem.

Updated - October, 2007: Not only does it read great, the evergreen Amber Gurung has done full justice to the musical composition as well. I personally think it was not necessary to repeat the first two lines, but it sounds great! See for yourself:

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

We will not accept what the terrorists and the government of terrorism says. Our National Anthem was, is and will remain:

Shri mân gumbhira nepâli prachanda pratâpi bhupati
Shri pânch sarkâr mahârâjâdhirâja sadâ rahos unati
Rakhun chi râyu eeshale prajâ phailiyos pukâraun jaya premale
Hâmi nepâli sârâle.


English Translation:

May glory crown you, courageous Sovereign,
You, the gallant Nepalese,
Shri Pansh Maharajadhiraja, our glorious ruler,
May he live for many years to come
And may the number of his subjects increase.
Let every Nepalese sing this with joy.


Jaya Sri Paanch, Jaya Nepal!

Anonymous said...

That's a nonsense comments you have written. Old national anthem is history. Nepal will be better with a new song which isn't praising the dictor king. Sri paanch ko sri ek hune bela bho. Nepali le naya gana gaune bela bho.

Jaya nepali, jaya nepal.

Anonymous said...

Dictator yes. But the point of finger is on the wrong side. Put it on SPAM terrorists.

Nepalis won't be guided by fools who are being guided by terrorism and Indian hegemonies.

Long live His Majesty's Gyanendra!

Jaya Sri Paanch! Jaya Nepal!

Anonymous said...

Our history is one thing that we can be proud of. We stupid people are now trying to deny our past, trying to ignore what the Shah kings have contributed in building our country.
There are people who might be willing to say Shree prachanda.
I still have great respect for our king. And i believe that people who feel the same should stand up to face those bloody people who kill 13000 people, and then come and act like some kind of hero.

Anonymous said...

The new nepali national anthem is really nice to hear and may this nation of inoscent people come in track and becomes heaven for the people living their.

Jai Nepali

Anonymous said...

I love Nepal as it is my forfathers land and what ever happening their thats heart me, the new natioanl anthem is sounds good. The citizen their should get their basic aminities and freedom to speek and right to select the right candidate.

Jai Nepali Janta

Anonymous said...

Change is good. Maybe this new change in the nationalanthem will reflect the change in spirtual thinking and moral standards of all the nepali citizens. Let this new anthem be a guide towards a better future and a better country for all of us.

Jay Nepal!

Anonymous said...

Yes, "Shree man Gambhira Nepali" - our neational anthem that our modernization bitten nonvalant people consider the old- is still our Nepali pride and it should be.But we stupid Nepalis excluding our Monarchy lovers are trying to ignore our glorious past, not to mention, that brought such great praiseworthy contributory changes.

Long live Monarchy, long live Nepal!

Anonymous said...

Muji haru......RAJA LAI JPT NA BHAN hai.....SRIMAN GAMVIR WAS A GOOD ANTHEM and SAYA THUNGA is ALSO NOT BAD....WE SHOULD ACCEPT WHAT WE HAVE NOW.......

Uncool Kid said...

Absolutely. Our Kings have done some great things. They unified our small states and as a result, we are multi everything, which I am very proud of. But now we are progressing into a democratic nation. New anthem captures all that. I don't have any expectations from my generations and generations before that, but I definitely am hopeful that our younger generation will help this country end the ethnic violence, and be proud of who we really are. We are sayaun thunga phulka eutai mala. I would like to see our Nepali brethren helping each other and helping build the nation before I die.

Ayurvedic Therapy said...

Thanks for the post. Many thanks

Form.lk said...
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