Beni people preserving 'Naag Nagini' dance for centuries

By Thakur Prasad Acharya,Myagdi, Jan. 19: Two 6-year-old children are dancing in the guise of 'Naag Nagini' in Beni during a festival recently. 

Children aged between 10 and 12 years dressed in Newa costumes, were singing songs and playing musical instruments and the elders standing nearby were teaching them to dance and play music.

That was the model example of 'Naag Nagini' dance of the Newa community, which is believed to be in practice for about 2,300 years.  It was handed down from the elder generation to the new generation. 

On the occasion of the 7th Myagdi Festival in Myagdi, they performed the traditional dance. 

With the development of modernity, the art  and culture of different ethnic groups are  disappearing in lack of interest of the young generation in them, but the art culture of the Newa community of Beni have been passed down to the new generation.

There is a tradition of taking out 'Naag Nagini' dance and 'Saparu' a day after Janaipurnima festival to commemorate those who have passed away within a year. 

They sing the song 'Rajmati Kumati' in tune with the music, and one man dressed as a woman dances as Nagini and the other man dances as a Naag. There are four singers, two dancers and the rest are the audience in the 'Naag Nagini' dance. 

Bhairab Bahadur Shrestha, Junga Prasad Shrestha, Laxmi Prasad Shrestha used to perform 'Naag Nagini' in Beni for a long time.

 Then the dance  was taught to Angad Shrestha, Binod Shrestha, Rajendra Kumar Shrestha, Pramod Shrestha and Subash Shrestha. 

 Angad Shrestha is now 81 and the leader of Benibazaar. He said that the 'Naag Nagini' dance is being preserved in Beni because the skills of the old generation are being passed on to the new generation. The young generation has started showing interest in the preservation of the old art and culture.

Lately, Binod Kumar Shrestha has been dancing in the role of 'Nagini' while Pramod and Rajendra dance as 'Naag' in Beni.

 In order not to lose the culture, they have also prepared a couple of children  including Rubin Shrestha and Janish Shrestha for Naag Nagini dance.  Bhairab Bahadur Shrestha used to dance as 'Naag' but after his death at the age of 80, Pramod held his place for a few years then Rajendra has been continuing it.

 Likewise, Khagendra Shrestha used to dance in the guise of 'Nagini' in the past. Now Binod is dancing as 'Nagini'. Shrestha is now teaching his 6-year-old grandson Arav Shrestha to succeed his position.