Conclusion

The population of gandharva is few in Nepal but they are found everywhere. They are not educated at all and categorized in low-caste. Their economic condition is not well. Their livelihood was done by singing & dancing, fishing, laboring to the landlords, After the democratic movement on 2007 B.S. (1947 AD), The declaration of free education on primary level by the government of Nepal , they have changed they send their children to the school & collages. Works in different fields too including singing & dancing.

There are drastically changes in Nepal. Untouchability, discrimination on the low-caste people is going to decrease day by day. All the people of all caste treat well. They have right to work, have education, have job anywhere on the basis of their capacity.

There are rapidly changes in social life too. People marry inter-caste and live together.

Though everything has changed but the condition of gandharvas are still not so good. Their conditions are not changed as it should be. The concerned authority (Nepalese Government) should make / manage the rule & regulation and then implement for gandharvas for their betterment.

Sarangi & Arbajo

The Sarangi & Arbajo are the traditional musical instrument of Gandharva. The sarangi is small so it is easy to carry everywhere, but arbajo is heavy. The gandharvas carry the sarangi with them.

 The Sarangi, a one-piece instrument having a neck and hollowed out body, is carved out from a very light wood, locally known as Khiro. The wood is cut into a length of about a foot. The body is carved into a hollow frame with two openings. The lower opening is then covered up with dried sheep-skin. The origin al strings were made out of sheep intestine. The village people allotted intestines of sheep, sacrificed during major festivals like Dashain, to the Gandharvas. The Gandharvas left the intestine in a pot for some days. Once the meat was fully rotten, it was pulled out, leaving behind the fine nerves of the intestine which were then woven to get the strings, which produced fine quality sound. However these days, readily available nylon and steel strings are more popular with Sarangi players as they do not have the time to prepare the traditional variety of strings. Wedge like keys are hammered on to the neck of the Sarangi to serve as screws for tightening the strings. Horse-tail hair was originally used for the bowstring of the Sarangi but these days nylon strings are preferred.

The rhythm of sarangi is fabulous to the people.

Song

Karkha / Birgatha (song of glory), Religious song & Folk song are main song of the Gandharva.

Karkha is the song of pride, glory and bravery of the martyrs & the Rulers.  Religious songs are taken from Hindu legends like Ramayan, Mahabharat, Puran. Nepalese folk songs are song of love, pride & bravery. The folk songs were famous in the past and are still popular on every Nepalese heart.

Gandharva song & its importance

Every person & the religions have their own importance in their country. Nepal is full of multi- caste, multi- lingual & multi- religious people.  In the past, there were not the facilities of postal networks, telephones, radios and televisions for the communication. The gandharvas used to spread the news on the basis of their song. Gandharvas were taken to the war for singing the glory or the bravery of martyrs & the Rulers.   

King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified the various scattered kingdoms to form the Kingdom of Nepal, employed Gandharvas to sing the glory of the Shah Dynasty. They were used as a means of propaganda during the unification period and were sent to villages to sing in favors of a unified Nepal.

The importance of gandharva in the unification of Nepal is great. So we do not forget the value of them.

Festivals & Entertainment

The festivals of Gondharva are according to the Hindusm. The mainly celebrate Dashain , Tihar, Sakranti, Teej , Shree Panchami, Shivaratri, Fagu and so on. They celebrate the festivals on their own way. They celebrate Dashain as the greatest festival all of them. It is celebrated for 15 days.

In every festival they use a lot of meat & Raksi (Local made alcohol), singing & dancing is compulsory. But they not use meat & Raksi on celebrating Shivaratri & Shree Panchmi.

Bayi Pooja(worship)

It is believed that dead person trouble human as being ghost. So they make temple of Bayi crossing the nearest river of their village, and worship the Bayi by sacrificing cock or hen. Cock is the symbol of male & hen is the symbol of female.  After finishing worship they cook the meat and eat together. They are not allowed to take that meat to home, to feed their relatives.

The gandharva worship Naga (Serpent) except those pooja. They also worship goddess Saraswati for knowledge.

Bhagera Pooja

Bhager Pooja (worship) is the main pooja of the Gondharva. This pooja is done especially on the full moon of Baishakh (1^st month of Nepalese calendar) or Full Moon of the Monsir (8^th months of Nepalese calendar). The Gondharva worship Bhager and sacrifice a sheep. Every family brings flowers, barely, betel-nut, milk of cow, bamboo, flour of rice and hen. After collecting the things of worshipping, the oldest Gondharva out of them starts the pooja. The meat of sheep & hen are divided to all the family to take their home. The meat is feed to their relatives.

Religious Status

The Gandharvas follow according to Hindu religion, they worship all Hindu’s god & goddess like lord Shiva, Ganesh, Bishnu & Goddess Parvati, Sarswoti, Laxmi. They live together with Brahman & Chhetri so they have been following in the accordance to them.  Their Poojas (worships) are as follows:-

Marriage

Marriage is the most important for the every person. Same as the gandharvas perform marriage ceremony on their own caste but not on same Gotra. (According to Hindu religion, two persons of same Gotra mean their ancestor is same, so they are sister / brother).  Their marriage used to be arranging in the past but now a day they have love marriage as well as inter caste marriage too. The parents decide the marriage and the date. On the date the family & relatives of bridegroom go to the bride’s house. It performs ritual deeds on bride’s house, the priest deeds all the ritual works. Next day the bridegroom with his bride return home. Some ritual deed performs there too then there is held a great feast.
Now, the economic condition of Gandharvas are better then past so they have changed their marraige ceromany is as like Brahaman & Chhetri.
 

Food & Dresses

Gandharvas take Nepalese food i.e. Rice, pulse, green vegetable meat , maize and so on. Generally they beg so whatever they get they make their food, they beg by singing & dancing. People give them rice, corn, wheat, millets etc. They enjoy fishing so they eat fish more. The meats are from goats, pigs, chickens, buffalos. They use onions, garlic, ginger a lot in preparing the meat. The Raksi (local homemade alcohol) is compulsorily needed or frequently used on every ceremony.

They wear generally Nepalese dresses Shirt, paint Daura, suruwal, estakot, sweeter, shoes & Nepalese cap for male and guniyo, cholo, patuka ghalek and majetro for ladies. The ladies wear ring, ear ring, bulanki, dhungri, madwari, tilahari, necklace etc as the ornaments.

Death

The death program is held according to Hindu religion. The Gandharva bury the death body. The son is compulsorily needed in this stage. After burying the death body, his son return home & deed ritual work till 11 days wearing white cloths. The cloths of other color are not allowed to the son; he is also not allowed to anywhere; touch anyone .On the eleventh day, they perform ritual works and free to do everything. The feast is organized as usual for the relatives.

Bartabandha

The Bartabadha is most important ritual program before marriage. The odd year is needed for this program. The man is not allowed to marry before the bartabandha. The society do not accept the couple if they marry before bartabandha. The priest perform the all the ritual deeds on that day. The relatives as well as friends are invited for the program. The feast is organized on this day. The guest celebrates happily by singing & dancing on the whole day. Gandharvas deed their bartabandha as Brahamn & Chhetri do but they do not hymn.

Chhaur / Chhawara

It is also ritual program that is held at 5/7/9/ or 11 years age of the child. It is done only of son. On this day the hair of the child is performing ritual hymn. The odd years of the child is needed for this program. The relative are invited on this day. Especially the raksi and meat is provided for the guest.

Pasni (Feeding)

On the system of Gandharvas Pasni is performed on 6 months of the baby’s birth if the baby is son, 5 months if the baby is daughter. There is organized a feast, they invite their close relatives for the pasni. The guest who take part on pasni bring gift to the baby & mother. The entire guest feed the child & presents the gift. They take delicious food as well as raksi (Local Alcohol) and then sing & dance whole day. They sing ritual song wishing betterment of the baby.

Nwaran / Namakaran

On the eleventh day of child’s birth, they give name which is called Nwaran / Namakaran.It is performed according to the Hinduism. They invite their relatives to celebrate Nwaran so there held a great feast.  They eat the meat o pork, buff, Chicken & mutton as well as drink local alcohol that is called Raksi (homemade alcohol using rice, millet and other grains). They also sing & dance whole day. The mother does not allow taking part in any ritual program before Nwaran.

Chhaiti / Chhatama (Sixth Days)

Hindu people give more importance to the birth of son. Sixth days of the newly baby is called Chhaiti / Chhatam. Parents go to fortuneteller on that day to know the future the baby. It is believed that Angle comes from heaven to the baby home to write his/her future, so people have hymn all the night to please the god in the betterment of baby’s  future. They light candle (Diyo), put book, copy, pen & money under the baby’s pillow. But they do not perform any types of above work except lighting the candle (Batti) putting book, copy, pen & money under the baby’s pillow if the baby is daughter. Batti is lighting with the help of ghee / oil & cotton.    

Birth

Being Hindu, Gandharvas (Pregnant Lady) do not take part in any ritual works during the 6 months of pregnancy.  They used to take help of their own caste’s Nurse called (Sudeni) during the delivery. Now a day they go to hospital during the delivery (regular check up as well as giving birth to child). They go to the fortuneteller to know about the future of the child. They give more priority to son rather than daughter. They become happier if the newly baby is a son. They feed the mother good food according to their economic conditions, their food are; meat, milk, ghee, soup and so on.

Cultural Condition

Nepal is a country of Multi-caste, Multi- lingual & multi- cultural. Especially Aryan & Mongolian live in Nepal.  Gandharvas are in the Aryan followers. They are Hindu. They are categorized in low- caste in Aryan. But they deed according to the Hindu religion. Their ritual works from Birth to Death are as follows.

Industry / Factory

Gandharvas are not able to start industry / factory because of low economic condition as well as being uneducated. But they work as labor in small industry/ factory i.e. Biscuit factory, Noodle factory, paper factory. But they have small handicraft and woolen industry of their own.

Business

Many people of Nepal have engaged in agriculture. About 20% of total people occupy in business. Especially Newar occupy as the businessman. The time and the concept of people are changeable; the thought of gandharva is also going to change now. They do not have money to invest in business but they have small types of business of grocery, cloths, and fruits and so on the footpath / street. They also enjoy fishing and sell them in the market from which they earn little money.

Agriculture

Gandharva’s main occupation is to play sarangi and singing/dancing from which they earn money. They sing nicely and play the sarangi expertly so other people give them money.
The Gandharva do not have their own land .A few of them engage on agriculture of landlords’ field. Having done all the works all over the year, they get 50 % of crops in the time of harvesting.
In general, Gandharva do not do agricultural works.

Economic Condition

Nepal is a agricultural country. More than 65 % people are engaged in agriculture. Gandharva live in remote areas of Nepal, so all the people of that area engage in different field. Gandharva has their own works ie. Singing, dancing fishing, laboring and so on. So their conditions are not so well.
After declaration of Republic democratic Nepal, Gandharvas engage in different field having simple works. Some serve in Hotel, hospital and in other office as low grade workers. Because of being uneducated they are not able to be employee in higher rank.

Social Relationship & dignity in present situation

In past, the Gandharvas were not treated well, they were treated just as the other low -caste people, they were not allowed to be perform freely in the society in every parts in social, cultural, educational and so on.
Nepal's House of Representatives (HoR) on Sunday (June 4, 2006) unanimously announced Nepal as a state free of discrimination and untouchability, something that had been overlooked in its previous proclamations. But untouchability system is going on and on. Gandharva is also suffering from this unsocial evil custom. But Jhalak Man Gandharva is famous from the gandharvas’ caste. He has got great respect and honor from the society as well as government. Rest of other people suffering the same.
Now days the society has drastically changed in present, so they have relief of untouchability system. It is still in the rural area but it does not follow strictly as previous decade.
 They have got many more respect now days rather than the past.

Education

The Gandharvas are from backward society. The society used to behave badly to them because of low caste. So they did not get opportunities to go to school. Before 1990 AD, Their children hardly go to school. But after the declaration of Democratic Nepal, lots of gandharvas’ kids got chances to go school. Now day’s 80 to 90 percent gandharva children go to school, collages and other institutions for gaining education.

Caste or Gotra

They are classified as low -caste. They have own types of grading in gandharva. Their Caste & Gotra are the same as of other castes such as Brahman & Chhetri. They have many caste on Gandharva such as Adhikari, Budhathoki, Nayak, Kala Poudel, Thakuri,Samundri, Sukhaman,Baitha or BK. Same as Gotras are :- Jogi, Baikar,Sursamatya,Bramaha Baikar, Budhathoki, Kaami,Kala Kausal, Thakuri and Turky Baikar.
Though they have different caste & Gotra, they all are treated same to all by other caste.

Family

Nepal is generally male dominated society. They follow Hinduism oriented. They are also Aryan flowers so they have every right on male for decision of any deeds of their family.  They become happy of the birth of son rather than daughter. They live generally in single family.  We find 5 to 10 persons in a single family including grandparents to grand children .Though Gandharvas is male oriented but it is not bound of ladies in taking part on different part of performing ritual deeds and singing / dancing program. 

Social Status of Gandharva

As it is described above that there are many religions in Nepal, Gandharva is under Hindu Religion. They follow their ritual deed according to Hindu Holy books / legends. They were treated as low -caste people in Nepal, but untouchablity is going to decrease so they have different status than past. Though old age people treat them the same but the people of modern age treat them well.

Migration of Gandharva

Although the gandharvas’ residential area was kaski Nepal but they are migrating day by day from there. Their profession have been singing & dancing but now days it is disappearing. So they are not able to earn enough money for themselves. They are migrating in different places of Nepal. Especially in city areas because it is easy to them to earn money or to be employee in different field. The Gandharvas who are employed in cities area live in on a little bit of good house.

Gandharva on the Nepalese History

According Nepalese history, there were 4 castes & 18 creeds in Lichchhivi dynasty. Later on There were divided on 4 castes & 64 creeds by Malla King Jayasthiti Malla in Malla Dynasty. Gandharva is one of the creeds out of 64 creeds. They were treated as low-caste people like Damai, Kaami, Sarki, Pode Chame etc.
We are not able to say the actual date of gandharva’s appearance in Nepal. According to Jana Kabi Dharma Raj Thapa,they were brought to carry the things of King Kul Mandan Khan from Chitaud Gadh. Later on, the king suggested them to sing. Kul Mandan Khan was the king of Kaski. So we may say that the gandharva’s original inhabitant is kaski in Nepal. Batulechour is in Pokhara, It is said that this the first place of Gandharva’s inhabitant. Where there used to live Jhalak Man Gandharva who was the famous gandharva of Nepal, According to him their ancestor lived on Batulechour.
King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified the various scattered kingdoms to form the Kingdom of Nepal, employed Gandharvas to sing the glory of the Shah Dynasty. They were used as a means of propaganda during the unification period and were sent to villages to sing in favour of a unified Nepal.
The Gandharvas learn to sing their unique songs and play the Sarangi in a traditional way – elders pass on their skills to younger generations. The Sarangi is a true Nepalese musical instrument. The name SARANGI is a combination of two words. ‘SA’ - the first note of music (parallel to DO as in DO, RE, ME ...) and RANGI meaning colorful. So the instrument that colors up notes of music is called the Sarangi. Similar musical instrument can be found in other parts of the world. For example, the western violin. Sarinda, the Indian musical instrument probably is the closest in resemblance to the Sarangi. The method of making the Sarangi is unique to itself.

Identity of Gandharva

In Nepal, the Gandharva, a community of occupational caste musicians, functioned as the sole organized means of information and entertainment for the numerous isolated communities across the mountains of Nepal. In a time before postal networks, telephones, radios and televisions, the Gandharva travelled from village to village, singing about everything from legendary heroes and ongoing battles to tales of what they saw on their journeys and the lives of the people they encountered on their way. In a society where access to information was considered the exclusive right of the 'high' caste and the wealthy, the Gandharva’s function was crucial.
Today, as both digital and physical connectivity grows more efficient and expands deeper into the country, the traditional storyteller function of the Gandharva has been losing relevance rapidly in the rural areas. This is already evident, with the Gandharvas migrating to the cities in large numbers. In the urban centers of Kathmandu and Pokhara, the Gandharva now roam the tourist areas, hoping to make money by playing tunes for the tourists or selling them a Sarangi (a fiddle-like instrument). That the Gandharvas has been displaced from their traditional practices is self evident, and a number of organizations dedicated to ensuring that the Gandharvas can continue to earn a living through their music are today active.

Introduction of Gandharva in Religion

There are different people of different religions living in Nepal. They live together in many states/cities having respected to each other. There is “Unity in Diversity” in Nepal .Hinduism is the main religion out of them. There are many caste and creed under the Hinduism. Brahman,Chhetri, Newar, Gurung ,Magar,Damai, Kaami, Gandharva are the caste in the Hindu.  According to history of Nepal the castes are divided according to the people’s work.

So the Gandharva is the people who use to sing & play the Sarangi (a fiddle-like Musical instrument) in the people door to door Or in different cultural program according to the legend.  They do so for earning money in the content of their livelihood. They used to find in the remote areas of Nepal but now they are everywhere in Nepal. Holy books & legends of Nepal have described them as a singer in the heaven to please the god & goddess by helping Fairy in dancing.