Abstract

Dāphā music is a sacred singing among the Newar communities of Nepal. The music has been passed down through centuries. The article captures the lived experience of learning ancient music and exploring the spiritual, cultural and ritualistic elements. The research journal aims to contribute to the understanding of dāphā music in depth. Also, it makes us aware of the importance of this intangible cultural heritage, which is on the verge of extinction because of modernisation.

Keywords: Dāphā, Nāsaḥdyaḥ, Newar, Music Training

Introduction:

Newar is the most civilised ethnic group living in Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas known for rich culture, art and historical contribution. They have their language (Tibeto-Burman), script, cuisine, music, tradition and lifestyle, creating a unique identity for Newar people.

Dāphā music is the traditional music of Newar communities based on the rāg and tāl system. This music is characterised by various rhythmic patterns sung in two groups facing opposite each other. Most of the songs in dāphā are devotional, but seasonal songs, songs of love, songs of nature, etc are also found in dāphā music. There is no exact timeline for the origination of dāphā. Richard Widdess states that the painting of a tulādāna ceremony at Taleju Temple, Kathmandu, in 1664 is the earliest visual representation of a dāphā group (Widdess 2013). The Dāphā singing tradition is similar to the dhrupad singing style of Hindustani Classical Music invented by Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior in the fifteenth century (Gurubacharya 2020). The  Song texts of various languages like Newari, Sanskrit, Maithili, and Hindi are found in this music. Some songs of famous Sanskrit poet Jayadeva (known for the epic poem Gita Govinda) and Maithili and Sanskrit poet Vidyapati are also sung in many dāphā groups (Widdess 2013). The music is performed in phalchā, gathering spots for communities located near temples and central areas of festivals and religious ceremonies.

Fig 1. Kwā Bāhā Dāphā Khalah singing Dāphā bhajan in Gūnlā month at Swayambhu, Kathmandu.

Fig 2.Tahnanī Dāphā Khalah of Kirtipur performing in phalchā.

Objective:

This study aims to shed light on the teaching and learning system of the dāphā singing tradition. The study will explore all the social, cultural, religious and musical aspects of dāphā music.

Methodology:

Historical, Narrative and Ethnographic research Methodologies have been applied to this study. Primary data includes interviews with the practitioner, manuscripts, and observation, whereas secondary data includes the study of various books, journal articles and archives. I have actively participated in training sessions, performance sessions and ceremonial rites of various dāphā groups like Shree Chatrapāl Māhābhaīrav Dāphā Månkā Khalaḥ(Patan), Lāyekū Nanī Dāphā Khalaḥ(Kathmandu), Thabahī Dāphā Khalaḥ(Thamel, Kathmandu), Chaswanswon Dāphā Khalaḥ(Kathmandu), Tahnanī Dāphā Khalaḥ(Kirtipur) and many more. I have interviewed the dāphā gurus and practitioners based on open-ended questionnaires.

Background of the Study:

Dāphā is the ancient form of music uniquely found in Newar communities. The music is deeply rooted in the social, cultural, religious and spiritual aspects of the society. Although it’s a singing tradition, we may not be able to find the exact value and importance of this tradition without analysing and interpreting its non-musical aspects. In Newari communities, music is very important from birth to death. Dāphā music holds a prominent place in all religious ceremonies and festivals, life-cycle ceremonies, funeral and death rites, processions and parades, etc, playing a significant role in social and cultural life.

Nāsaḥdyaḥ:

The Newar worship a particular god for music and dance known as Nāsaḥdyaḥ. The shrine is represented by an empty vertical triangle-like structure, either one or three. The space in the triangle is regarded to be the pathway for the god or divine energy. All the Newari communities have Nāsaḥdyaḥ within their village or town. The apprenticeship of any form of music, dance and art must begin with the worship of Nāsaḥdyaḥ. The main shrine of Nāsaḥdyaḥ is at Kabilās, and the first and oldest Nāsaḥdyaḥ of Kathmandu is at Golkhūpākhā. Later, many shrines of Nāsaḥdyaḥ were established in almost every  Newari community of Kathmandu Valley and beyond. In many shrines of Nāsaḥdyaḥ, Hindu gods like Ganesh, Kumar and Hanuman are also worshipped ( Manandhar, Tri Ratna 2024).

Nāsaḥdyaḥ doesn’t have any fixed svarūpa, so locals worship the god in various forms. In an interview with dāphā guru Tri Ratna Manandhar, he explained that Nāsaḥdyaḥ is worshipped as a depiction of Lord Shiva in Hinduism and Padma Nirtyanath Lokeshvara in Buddhism (Manandhar 2024).

Fig 3.Nāsaḥdyaḥ Shrine, Bhaktapur

Music Training System:

Before beginning the actual training of Dāphā music, we must know about the actual process and the key representative of the khalaḥ (group of musicians belonging to a specific community). Each dāphā khalaḥ has seven main individuals having their responsibilities:

The training of Dāphā music follows a community-based learning system based on oral tradition following Guru Shīshya paramparā. The students learn in groups by observing and imitating the guru and senior musicians and singers of the community. The space where they learn and practise music is known as ākha-cẽ. Usually, communities have their ākha-cẽ where various social, cultural and religious rituals are conducted. Musical activities are one of the main among these community acts.

Based on interviews with various Gurus and dāphā practitioners, the apprenticeships begin with a decision to teach dāphā to the new students of the community or guthī. It is the responsibility of hamū to deliver the message to every family in the community to send their family members for music lessons. In most cases, the community insists on the presence of at least one member from each family. Then, the students wanting to learn music register themselves with kīslī, which must contain rice, a small coin, and a supārī(betelnut) on the day of Nāsaḥ sāleu pūjā (Maharjan 2024). This day must be either Thursday or Sunday (Maharjan 2024). Locals believe that these days are assigned for Nāsaḥdyah. The following rituals must be followed for the music training session.

Ceremonial rites:

On the day first, Nāsaḥdyaḥ Sāleu pūjā must be performed with Newari tantric tradition. The senior members and gurus of the dāphā khālaḥ go to their nearby Nāsaḥdyaḥ shrine at midnight because it is believed that this secret ceremony of transferring the god to the training house must not be seen by anyone. According to Anil Maharjan(Asst. Guru) of Thabahī dāphā khalaḥ, not even a crow should pass above them during the procession (Maharjan 2024).

The following items must be arranged as an offering to Nāsaḥdyaḥ:

The kīslī and Nāsaḥ dhakī (a painting of Nāsaḥdyaḥ in cotton cloth) are only required in the pūjā of the new training session. Animal sacrifices like male animals like hens, ducks, buffalo, goats, etc, are compulsory for the ritual. As soon as they reach the shrine, they offer everything to the god by touching and keeping it below the god, and the guru of the dāphā khalaḥ or the newar priest traditionally performs the pūjā. They hide the structure of the god with Nāsaḥ dhakī and pray Nāsaḥdyaḥ to transfer in the dhakī. During the pūjā, they must feel the presence of Nāsaḥdyaḥ. They offer all the items they have brought for the puja, following specific steps only known by priests and gurus. Other members wait for the puja to complete. At the end of the pūjā, every member is instructed to do pūjā by jākī wo svã( raw rice and flower) as an offering to god. All the members receive Sīnha on their forehead and kokhā as blessings. Then, they return to the ākha-cẽ for the installation of the god. They keep all the kīslī returned from the shrine in a pure place and cover it with Nāsaḥ dhakī. The animal, usually a male hen or duck for Nāsaḥdyaḥ Sāleu, is asked for consent by act of shaking their body, called Mū hyākeu in the shrine and only sacrificed in the training room. The blood of animals is offered to the Nāsaḥ dhakī as a symbol of Nāsaḥdyaḥ. After this, the installation is finally complete, and the god should be worshipped twice a day by regular Nitya pūjā.

The students start learning from the guru for the next 3 to 4 weeks. They learn only songs and memorise the musical lyrics, tapping their hands as counting. According to guru Tri Ratna Manandhar from Chaswanswon Dāphā Khalaḥ(Kathmandu), the first song taught to the student is a song of Nāsaḥdyaḥ. It is also a musical offering to the god. Then, before starting to play with the rhythmic instrument khī, Bā Pūjā is celebrated. From this day, the students are introduced to Khī bājā and the songs are sung with the tāl. Moreover, the gurus start teaching them complex compositions like gvārā(polyrhythmic composition). The instruments like tāh and babūchā also accompany along with khī. The compositions of dāphā is based on rāg and tāl system called gvāra and chālī. Gvārā may contain two to seven tāls in a single composition, and the bols played in the khi is very complex and needs proper training and practice to master. However, Chalī is not complex in comparison to gvāra. It is usually in one tāl, but it may sometimes have two tāls. The students must master both forms.

During the training period, the students must throw a feast for their gurus,kajī,hamū and some other senior members in appreciation of their teachings and work at their home. This may take weeks or even months sometimes. Then, the training period is usually more than 3 months (daily), but some groups extend it to 6 months to a year, depending on the situation. During the period, no outsiders are allowed to enter the ākha-cẽ except the members of the dāphā khalaḥ and the students. The students are not allowed to share their lessons outside the training room. The teaching is kept very secret. Performances before the ending ceremony outside the ākha-cẽ is strictly prohibited. After learning some of the main songs and compositions, the group start preparing for the Pīrineu Pūjā(closing ceremony). After months of intense learning and practice, students become ready to perform in public. Before that, an exam is conducted in the group to check the brilliance of the students. We may also call it a competition among students where 1^st,2^nd and 3^rd positions of students are declared, and they will be honoured with Sī beu(special honour ceremony)in Pīrineu Pūjā. These members will lead the group in the coming days. Pīrineu Pūjā is a massive feast after the completion of the training. The group arranges for all the items required for the pūjā with a male buffalo or goat as an animal sacrifice. They also return the kīslī and Nāsaḥ dhakī to the shrine, indicating the return of Nāsaḥdyaḥ to its place. This time, the family members of the students also join in the ceremony. After systemic pūjā at the shrine, the student can now perform publicly for the first time in front of the whole community. They enjoy lavish dinner and celebrate it like a big festival. Moreover, the group must do chēmā Pūjā if they have committed any mistakes during the training process. It’s the way of asking forgiveness to the god. Therefore, the apprenticeship completes, giving hope for this rich singing tradition to never be extinct.

Fig 4. Nāsaḥ Pūja

Fig 5. Nāsaḥdyaḥ Pūja(Nāsaḥdyaḥ covered with Nāsaḥ Dhakī during pīrineu pūja)

Conclusion:

Dāphā is the sacred singing tradition of Nepal, which is deeply rooted in its cultural, religious, social and musical aspects. It is a time capsule of Nepal’s rich tradition. The apprenticeship of dāphā is very unique. The tradition has the power to hold the community together and contributes to the rich culture and musical heritage of Nepal.

References:

Manandhar, Tri Ratna. 2024. Newa Cultural Encyclopedia. Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Academy(Kathmandu Metropolitan City).

Gurubacharya, Manohar Gopal. 2020. “Nepali Sangeet Ko Bikashkram.” 77. Lalitpur: Lalitpur Center for Cultural Conservation.

Maharjan, Anil, interview by Roshan Putwar. 2024. Dāphā Music Training System (25 September).

Manandhar, Tri Ratna, interview by Roshan Putwar. 2024. Dāphā Music Training System (26 September ).

Wegner, Gert-Matthias. 2023. “Drumming in Bhaktapur.” 10-21. Heidelberg.

Widdess, Richard. 2013. “Dāphā:Sacred Singing in a South Asain City.” 32. New York: Ashgate Publishing.