Bhume hosting fourth traditional dance, song competition

By Jayaman Budha Magar,Rukum East, June 15: Bhume Rural Municipality in Rukum East district has started preparation to hold the fourth edition of the dance and song competitions at Khabang in Ward No. 2 on the occasion of Bhume, the biggest festival of the Magar community. 

According to the rural municipality, competitions in various genres of dance and song would be held from June 17. 

The competition is going to be organised by the rural municipality under its annual programme. 

The rural municipality has been organising the competitions since 2018. However, the festival was not organised in 2021 because of COVID-19. 

According to the organisers, open competitions will be held in seven genres of dances including Bhume, Nacharu, Mayur (Peacock), Paiseru (Digre), Phank, Jhorelni and Singaru, and one Laske song.

Hom Prakash Shrestha, chairman of the rural municipality, informed that the participants would compete in eight categories-- seven dances and one Laske song, which are popular in all nine wards of Bhume and the neighbouring municipalities and districts.

                                                File Photo: TRN Paiseru Dance

As the old local dances and songs are disappearing now, the purpose of the competition is to preserve the traditional dances and songs, added Shrestha. 

Chairman Shrestha further said that traditional art and culture play an important role in tourism development, and preservation and promotion of such traditions are priorities of the local government.

The festival is being continued according to the policy taken by the previous people's representatives to organise a cultural festival every year to revive old dances and songs and reward the best groups, he said. 

The first winner group of Bhume dance will get a cash prize of Rs. 100,000. The second winner will get Rs. 75,000 and the third Rs. 50,000 while it has managed a consolation prize of Rs. 20,000 in cash.  The first, second, third and consolation prizes for the Nacharu dance are Rs, 75,000, Rs. 50,000, Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 15,000 respectively. 

Similarly, the first group in the Mayur dance will get Rs. 50, 000, the second Rs. 30,000 and the third will get Rs. 20,000 respectively while the consolation prize carries a purse of Rs.10,000. 

The best performers of Paiseru, Phank, Jhorelni and Singaru dances and Laske song will get Rs. 30,000, Rs. 20,000, Rs.10, 000 and Rs. 5,000 as the first, second, third and consolation prizes in each category respectively.

                                           File Photo: TRN Nacharu Dance

Amarlal Roka Magar, a local, said that the traditional cultures were disappearing and the local body had taken initiatives to preserve and promote them. 

He said, "The rural municipality is working for the revival of the traditional dances and songs by organising the annual programme.”

Every year, during the competition, local people learn dances and songs of other localities and cultures. 

The competition should be performed wearing original costumes, the organisers said.