Gandarbha
TheGandarbhacaste (Nepali:गन्धर्व जाति) orGaine(Nepali:गाईने) are a tribal community which belongs to theIndo-Aryanethnic group from the central, hilly region ofNepal.They have also been called a "caste of professional musicians" and "itinerant bards."[1][2]By tradition they make their living by singing[1]Gandarbha GeetorGaine Geet,a type of folk song. The Gandarbhas traditionally work as travelling musicians and play traditional folk and historical songs.[2]They improvise songs too, incorporating news into them as a service, in return for which they receive donations of food or other things.[2]They use theNepali sarangi,a type ofviolin,as their main musical instrument.[1]Thesarangihas been an iconic musical instrument identified with the Gandarbha people.[2]The instrument has replaced another instrument they played, theaarbajo,which was larger and "more cumbersome."[1]
Due to many caste-based discriminations inNepal,the government ofNepallegally abolished the caste-system and criminalized any caste-based discrimination, including "untouchability"(the ostracism of a specific caste) - in the year 1963A.D.
Geographic distribution[edit]
RecentlyCentral Bureau of Statisticsof Nepal classifies the Gaine/Gandarbha within the broader social group of HillDalit.[3]At the time of the2011 Nepal census,6,791 people (0.0% of the population of Nepal) were Gaine/Gandarbha.[4]The frequency of Gaine/Gandarbha by province was as follows:
- Gandaki Province(0.1%)
- Karnali Province(0.1%)
- Lumbini Province(0.1%)
- Bagmati Province(0.0%)
- Koshi Province(0.0%)
- Madhesh Province(0.0%)
- Sudurpashchim Province(0.0%)
The frequency of Gaine/Gandarbha was higher than national average (0.0%) in the following districts:
- Surkhet(0.2%)
- Arghakhanchi(0.1%)
- Baglung(0.1%)
- Banke(0.1%)
- Bardiya(0.1%)
- Chitwan(0.1%)
- Dang(0.1%)
- Gorkha(0.1%)
- Gulmi(0.1%)
- Jajarkot(0.1%)
- Kaski(0.1%)
- Lamjung(0.1%)
- Palpa(0.1%)
- Pyuthan(0.1%)
- Salyan(0.1%)
- Tanahun(0.1%)
Status in society[edit]
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Popular Gandarbhas[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abcdJames McConnachie; Rough Guides (Firm) (2000).World music: the rough guide.Rough Guides. pp. 198–.ISBN978-1-85828-636-5.Retrieved24 March2012.
- ^abcdKadel, Ram Prasad (2007).Musical Instruments of Nepal.Katmandu, Nepal: Nepali Folk Instrument Museum. p. 246.ISBN978-9994688302.
- ^Population Monograph[1]
- ^"2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2023-03-14.Retrieved2023-04-06.
External links[edit]
- News article about Gandarbhas and their future.
- Modern Gandarbha plays incorporates public safety message in music on buses.
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