Gandharva: Origin and Performing Arts Bharat Raj Dhakal School of Development and Social Engineering Faculty of Humanities and Social Engineering, Pokhara University Email: [email protected] Abstract: The prime objective of this research article is to explore the different forms of arts performed by the ‘Gandharvas’ along with their historicity of social and sacred religious origin towards which the mainstream Nepali society is indifferent. In the social context of Nepal, they are regarded as the musician caste. They are also treated as the so-called lower caste people, the ‘dalits’ and are also denied the prestigious position in the society as well as in the pages of history. Although neglected in the society as well as in the history, they have got a pious origin as mentioned in the Hindu religious scriptures and beliefs. Their performing arts and musical instruments through their performing arts. But the paradox is that they have not got the true alsorecognition have the in religious Nepali society significance. even thoughThey have they made share a thegreat sacred contribution lineage forlike nation other groups. Although they have sacred place in religion, their position is downtrodden in society. Gandharva, Origin, Performing arts, Recognition IntroductionKeywords: the people of lower varna group having The Gandharvas are the foremost occupations which what they consider as representatives of traditional Nepali folk music who travel different places the time of the rites of passage and different to entertain people and to spread the defilingritually purifyingfeatures perform occasions music of the and people dance ofat information of some events to them. They are the musical entertainers like minstrels There is a great contradiction that the or troubadours. Before the time of modern uppersociety caste” separates (p. 121). them from social and means of communication like the television, religious activities regarding them as the the radio, the telephone etc., they were one ‘dalits’ but adopts their performing arts in of the major means of entertainment as their religious rituals. In this context, Prabodh well as information. Despite having such a Gaine enough space in the pages of history and the Devkotathe contradiction (2005) argues: is that “… thetheir place position of is significantscholarly articles.contribution, The theycaste-based are not allowedNepali seems quite sacred in Hindu religion, though society imposed them the role of singing and dancing but did not pay attention on the sociallythe paradoxes decreased regarding as untouchable the social positiongroup” (p. of exploration of their sacred religious origin 13).Gandharvas Hence, thereand performing are some controversiesarts. On the one or and performance. In this respect, Abhi Subedi hand, they are considered as the lower-caste and denied prestigious position in the society, and perform dances and plays are said to be and on the other hand, their performing arts (2002) writes: “…the groups who play music sacred rituals of the so-called upper-caste rituallythat is their less performingpure in the art caste is accepted hierarchy” in the(p. (singingpeople. and dancing) have been used in the 121).However,rituals of so-called there upper lies a class. great Here, incongruity, Subedi of any race or tribe of society for having the It is quite necessary to know the history Journal(2002) offurther Development argues, and“But Socialparadoxically, Engineering Volume 3 | Number 1 | December 2017, 59-64 ISSN 2382-5332 © School of Development and Social Engineering, Pokhara University 60 Bharat R Dhakal better understanding of ourselves as well as the ethnic groups is Gandharva, also known society itself. Pointing towards the relevance as Gaine. This group has a great contribution for the enrichment and preservation of Nepali mentions: “Compelling reason for studying music. They are basically recognized as the ofhistory studying is historicity,that a society's Chor Boon identity Goh (1989)is the musician caste of Nepali society just “like the product of the many individuals, forces, and singers of Serbia and African countries who events that constitute that society's past. sing the saga of nation, narratives of epic p. grandeur and stories of the communities” 78 Historyof people is ofsociety's various collective races. Therefore, memory” the( song of their own experiences that is full of identity). It clarifies and origin that aof society group iscan an beamalgam linked (Subedi,sorrow, misery, 2002, povertyp. 127). and They exploitation. also sing the to the identity and origin of other group. In Regarding the origin of Gandharvas, there are many opinions prevailing in Nepali “Apart from providing knowledge, history society. But all Gandharvas agree to a common thealso like helps manner, to understand O. A. Ojo (2016) the present. maintains: To point that they have a very sacred origin, that ignore history is to refuse to understand is, they are the descendants of Gandharva p. 24 Rishi. In this regard, Tribal Ethnography Gandharvas are one of the components of of Nepal Gandharvas’ theour society,present” it (becomes). In very this crucial context, to delvesince belief of their origin which explores their into their historicity of origin. Their identity (1994) writes aboutrishis , the great is associated to the identity of other races or sages. According to the book: ethnic groups. The study of their historical affiliation with very holy origin and performing arts is necessary rishis or because it provides society and the world .hermits, . Brahmaji, 4 varnas the or creator colours (oneand 26of with recognition and knowledge of our own. Hindutribes. AmongTrinity) thesecreated 4 rishis,4 there was one Gandarva who was less were the sources of entertainment and cunning than his colleagues, and it is informationIt is also for quite the ironic people, that there although is lack they of because of this susceptible nature of enough information regarding their origin his that the other three rishis wanted and performing arts. Some of the studies to remove him from their group so have been conducted about Gandharvas they conspired. They gave him a leg focusing on the types of their songs, major of a cow and told him to go beg for residential areas, socio-economic conditions, alms uttering the word awariha. Not contributions in Nepali folk literature etc. understanding the plot, this simple But much attention has not been given on minded Gandharva Rishi did as he exploring their sacred origin or lineage as well as on the performing arts. In this light, this because he had used the leg of a cow paper digs into their origin and performing wasand sotold from that then he hadon he defiled continued himself his arts to foreground the unassailable religious life as a beggar. Thus it is believed root and performing arts so that they can be that Gandharva is the progenitor treated as the caste with pious origin, and their of the Gaine … and simultaneously, performance arts can get good recognition in the stringed instrument called Nepali society. For this, it involves extensive arwajo, which they use to provide study of available literature published on music while they sing and beg, also different books, journals and consultation originated. This arwajo is supposed with experts, and puts forward the major Theirto musicalsymbolize instrument cow’s leg. arwajo (p. 218) also has a Originfindings. of Gandharva It clarifies that they have a very pious origin. For the enrichment of Nepali music and joined to one of the rishis whom we worship. dance, various ethnic groups have made a religiousBut it is a significance.matter of dismay Their that ancestral we do stocknot pay is great contribution. The real soul of Nepali much attention to such pious origin. music is preserved by many groups. One of The word 'Gandharva' is also mentioned Gandharva: Origin and Performing Arts 61 in many religious scriptures of Hindu mythology and folklores. It is believed The ‘stage like setting’ may refer to the in Nepali society that Gandharvas were intheatre a stage or like the setting”place where (Klarer, they 2013, perform p. 141). like the musicians in heaven. Their main the roads or the houses of people. There are various types of performing arts like dance, music, drama, circus, etc. responsibility was to please Indra (the king McCarthy, in The Performing Arts in a ofthe heaven) time the by Puranas singing and and the playing two epics music. were In New Era composed,this respect, the Anindita Apsaras Basu and (2016) Gandharvas writes: had“By “By performing arts, we mean theatre, music, become performing artists to the gods; the opera, anddefines dance, it fromfrom thea broad traditional perspective: “high Apsaras are singers, dancers, and courtesans, arts” to the popular arts, including live arts performed in all venues and non-live arts through all forms of mass media: CDs and while“In the the epics Gandharvas and the are Puranas, musicians” the (AncientApsaras other recordings, radio, video, television and Historyand gandharvas Encyclopedia). are artists She whofurther perform writes: at the court of Indra and other gods. They are mode of production of performing arts is also seen to sing and dance on other happy themultiple Internet” with immense(2001, p. potentiality.5). It shows There that theare occasions such as births and weddings of the gods and also of humans particularly favored on shaping the future of performing arts. The by the gods.” There is also another story variousmost important factors thatfactor play is howthe significantit is consumed. role about Gandharvas and their music which has For this, the role public involvement in religious touch. As mentioned by her they production and reception becomes crucial. were also mentioned in the Mahabaharata, In this regard, the author further argue: the Hindu religious book. She writes: “The “Some people may be directly involved in a gandharvas are musicians par excellence.