The Sounds of Home

In this Folk Artist spotlight, we check in on one of our Folk Arts Apprenticeships. This one centers on the music of Nepal and Bhutan, two small countries in the Himalayas.

Bhagirath Khatiwada, a Nepali speaker, came to the US from Bhutan fifteen years ago. He is committed to preserving and sharing the culture, music and arts of his native land. Inspired by his son’s success with learning the tabla (hand drums), Bhagirath is learning to play the harmonium. He is apprenticed to master musician Muskan Balampaki Magar, who is originally from Nepal.

The worldwide population of Nepali speakers is small and shrinking. Keeping the beautiful Nepali culture alive, vigorous and self-sustaining is hugely important to both Bhagirath and Muskan. Music is a central part of their culture — that is, people engaging actively in making music as a community — and so music is at the center of their efforts. They dream of creating a school, a cultural center, not just for the Nepali-speaking community (some 25,000 near Harrisburg, 50,000 statewide) but with the larger community as well.