Lakhey dance begins in Beni

By Our Correspondent

Beni, Aug 5 : The youth of Beni have come together to preserve the traditional art culture of the local Newar community which is on the verge of extinction. 

 Energetic local youth have now engaged in the preservation of traditional Lakhey dance which is about 300 years old in Beni. 

The dance is considered an ancient culture of the Newar community.

 Activists said that with the Newar people coming to live in Beni from different places, including Bhaktapur and Sankhu of the Kathmandu Valley, Newar culture also entered the town of the western hill.

Angad Shrestha, a leader of the Newar community, said that if the new generation does not show interest in the old original art culture, the identity of this dance will disappear.

Every year, the Lachey dance is performed in the market in the initiative of the youth. 

According to Subin Shrestha, a member of Nepal Language Mankakhal, there is an old custom of performing various dances in Beni, and the Newar’s Lachey dance begins every year from the day of Nag Panchami.

There is a custom of dancing Lakhey by playing Mridanga, Madal, Cymbals, and Dhalki and wearing a 300-year-old  mask.

Shrestha said that after the statue of the demon named Gantakarna, which is said to have caused suffering and spread disorder in the society in ancient times, is taken to the confluence of the Myagdi River and Kaligandaki and immersed, the time of monsoon dance begins in Beni. 

He said that arrangements have been made to train the youth to transfer the art culture of the Newar community. 

He said, “Without transferring art and culture from the old generation to the new generation, the identity itself is starting to disappear.”

Shrestha added that there was a problem in showing Ropai dance, Goru dance, Jogi dance, and Hanuman dance in a lack of artists.

Activists of the Newar community said that due to the lack of artists and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a problem in performing the traditional dances.