By Narayan Tumbapo

Panchthar, Dec 5 : The Limbu-dominated settlements in Province 1 are now rippled with melodious Chyabrung (drum) tunes.

With the onset of the wedding season, the Limbu villages are buzzing with the sounds of Chyabrungs.

The Limbus also call their traditional drum Chyabrung ‘Ke’.

This instrument is called chyabrung because it produces the loud sounds, which are heard as ‘chya’and ‘brung’.

When a chyabrung is played, the sharp sound that comes out of it echoes in the mountains.

This musical instrument is particularly played in the wedding and other rituals in the Limbu community.

Thus, when the wedding season approaches, the melody of chyabrung becomes exciting and melodious in the areas which is inhabited by this indigenous community.

The more it is played, the sweeter become its sound. At the same time, the attraction of new generation in playing the Chyabrung is also increasing these days.

Due to this, the village of Limbu resounds with the sound of Chyabrung which is played daily from the Nepali month of Mangsir to Baishakh.

Hearing the melodious sounds of chyabrung have now become common in the Limbu settlements of Panchthar, Taplejung, Ilam, Terhathum, Dhankuta, Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts in Province 1.
Chyabrung is played in the same rhythm by dancing in groups of two to 15 or 20 artists.

During the wedding, chyabrung is played for three days and two nights at the bridegroom’s house.

On the first day, it is played to welcome the bride from the middle of the road and on the second day, it is played to send her home.

On the same night, after ‘Lagan’, the newlyweds are blessed with good wishes and chyabrung is played with Limbu songs.

On the last day, Lokandis (the group of female friends and parents of the bride) are greeted with farewell.

It is customary to play the chyabrung for a day at the wedding ceremony held at the bride’s house as well.

Many Limbu cultures are on the verge of extinction, however, chyabrung does not have to face that situation yet.

Niranti Tumbapo, general secretary of Kirat Yakthung Chumlung (KYC), a social organisation of the Limbu community, said that with the growing awareness among youth that culture should be preserved, the number of youths playing chyabrung has increased over the years.

Musician Buddha Raj Limbu said that the importance of chyabrung will increase in terms of cultural tourism if it can be internationalised by formulating modern music with rhythm.