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.