{"id":13698,"date":"2023-04-06T06:45:34","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T06:45:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.min-on.org\/zh-hant\/?p=13698"},"modified":"2023-04-06T23:30:47","modified_gmt":"2023-04-06T23:30:47","slug":"min-on-music-journey-no-68-nepal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.min-on.org\/zh-hant\/13698\/min-on-music-journey-no-68-nepal\/","title":{"rendered":"Min-On Music Journey No. 68: Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Min-On\u2019s Music Journey! Today, the Min-On Concert Association and the Embassy of Nepal in Japan welcome you to Nepal, a landlocked country located in South Asia.<\/p>\n

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\nMount Everest<\/em><\/p>\n

Northern Nepal is home to many mountains in the Himalaya Mountain Range over 8,000 meters tall, including Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. That said, there is a massive difference between the natural environments of the north and south sides of the country. The center of the country consists of enormous valleys and plains, and a subtropical jungle covers the southern region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Travel guide for Nepal:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u30fbSee historic cities in the Kathmandu Valley, a World Heritage Site<\/p>\n

\u30fbJoin in on Dashain, the biggest festival in Nepal<\/p>\n

\u30fbTaste dal bhat tarkari,<\/em> a staple Nepalese dish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


\nKathmandu Valley, a World Heritage Site<\/strong><\/p>\n

Widely known as the birthplace of the Buddha, Nepal is a unique religious area where Buddhism and Hinduism coexist, giving rise to many different cultural traditions. The Kathmandu Valley lies slightly east of the center of the country and is an important World Heritage Site that represents Nepal\u2019s dynamic appeal.<\/p>\n

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\n<\/strong>Lumbini, the birthplace of the buddha<\/em><\/p>\n

The Kathmandu Valley is a lush region with fertile soil that has prospered since antiquity as an important trade crossroads between Tibet and India. By the 15th century, the three ancient cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur were competing in splendor by building palaces, temples and more. As a result, their technological capacity in architecture, carving and artisanship advanced substantially.<\/p>\n

Buildings constructed from a mix of wood and red brick, a hallmark of Nepal’s traditional architecture, still line the streets today in each of these major cities. The capital of Kathmandu in particular is a popular sightseeing destination. Travelers come from across the globe to experience nostalgic, old-world cityscapes against the backdrop of Nepal\u2019s unique and interconnected national culture.<\/p>\n

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\nKathmandu<\/em><\/p>\n

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\nPatan (left) and Bhaktapur (right)<\/em><\/p>\n

These three ancient cities and their Buddhist and Hindu architecture are collectively known as the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site.<\/p>\n

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\nSwayambhunath (left) and Pashupatinath (right)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The world’s only non-rectangular national flag<\/strong><\/p>\n

The coexistence of Nepal’s two religions is expressed through its national flag, which uniquely consists of two triangular flags stacked vertically. In conception, this design combined the flag of the royal family with that of the prime minister. Today it has come to represent the Himalaya mountain range, a symbol of Nepal, and the country’s two major religions, Buddhism and Hinduism.<\/td>\n

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Dashain, Nepal’s biggest festival<\/strong><\/p>\n

Due to multiple ethnic groups and two major religions, Nepal has a large number of distinctive festivals. Dashain, which is held in the fall, is the largest. It’s associated with Durga, a strong, beautiful goddess who defeats demons. The festival is held to pray for good health and a bountiful harvest.<\/p>\n

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Dashain was originally Hindu, but it has now spread among Buddhists, too, becoming a national holiday. The ceremonies take place over ten days, when family members return to their hometowns to spend time together with family.<\/p>\n

Dashain is similar to Japanese New Year’s celebrations in many ways \u2013 during the festival, Nepalese people go on big shopping trips, embrace leisurely activities like flying kites and visit temples.<\/p>\n

A “two meals a day” food culture<\/strong><\/p>\n

A morning in Nepal starts with a cup of cha<\/em>. Cha can mean tea in many forms across the world, but here, it\u2019s black tea, milk and sugar flavored with a blend of spices. This drink is an essential accompaniment to every Nepalese meal.<\/p>\n

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In Nepal it\u2019s common to eat two meals a day, and a snack called khaja<\/em>. The first meal of the day is eaten late in the morning. One of the most common offerings is dal bhat tarkari<\/em>, a quintessential Nepalese meal. “Dal,” “bhat” and “tarkari” are the words for “beans,” “rice” and “side dish,” respectively. These components make a well-balanced meal. Dal often refers to a soup made with chickpeas, but at restaurants it might also include chicken or mutton curry.<\/p>\n

This meal is followed by khaja snacks like momos<\/em> (steamed dumplings) or bara<\/em> (bean pancakes). Then, dal bhat tarkari is served again for dinner. The dinner tarkari uses different ingredients than the morning version. A defining feature of this dish is that each family has their own variation, which includes adding different curries or side dishes.<\/p>\n

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The Nepalese people\u2019s connection to music<\/strong><\/p>\n

Music is close to the hearts of the Nepalese people; it plays a large role as the soundtrack of their lives. From morning until night, it\u2019s common to hear people humming romantic songs or dance-able hit songs throughout the country. It’s also quite common for bus drivers and train conductors to play their favorite music inside buses and trains cars.<\/p>\n

The national symbol of Nepal\u2019s musical culture is a conch shell instrument called a shanka<\/em>. It’s believed every household in Nepal has one. The shanka is also a ritual implement used in religious ceremonies, and most Nepalese know it from a very young age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Other traditional Nepalese instruments<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sarangi<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/p>\n

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A classic Nepalese string instrument played with a bow. It consists of four strings stretched over a hollow wooden body.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Madal<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/p>\n

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A two-sided hand drum with a cylindrical or barrel-shaped body with hides stretched over both ends. A paste called molud<\/em> is applied to the surface of the drum to adjust the pitch of the sound.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sitar<\/strong><\/td>\n <\/p>\n

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A musical instrument with origins in northern India and Nepal. About 7 of the roughly 20 strings are plucked to create the sound, and the surrounding strings resonate to amplify that sound. Using vibrato allows a sitar player to express complex tone and timbre.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Below, please see two pieces from the Min-On Global Session for Peace concert held in 2016 that showcase the expressiveness of the sitar<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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  1. Connection<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n