Baglung youth working to preserve Hanuman Dance

By Thakur Acharya,Baglung, Dec. 29: Youths of Baglung district have been active in preserving the Hanuman dance, which is popular in the Newar community. Performing the Hanuman dance is an old practice in the Newar community of Baglung. 

In recent years, the Hanuman dance has been performed at fairs and festivals after the youth joined hands for the protection of indigenous art and culture by learning the dancing skills. 

In the 7th Baglung Festival which started on Thursday, the youth went around Baglung Bazaar performing the Hanuman. President Ramchandra Paudel, who was in Baglung to inaugurate the festival, also watched the Hanuman dance with interest. Many observed the performance with keen interest when a group of young people dressed as Hanuman, the monkey god, danced in the market areas.

Hanuman dance is performed along the rhythm of cymbals and mridangas. The spectators were enthralled seeing nine pairs of artists disguised as Hanuman dancing with sticks to the rhythm of the music and passing through the market. 

Yuvraj Rajbhandari, Vice Chairman of Hanuman Dance Conservation Council, Baglung, said that even though the Hanuman dance was supposed to be performed only after puja rituals, it was showcased to the guests who arrived in Baglung to attend the festival.

Tirtha Shrestha, Chairman of the Hanuman Dance Conservation Council, Baglung, said that the responsibility of preserving art and culture has fallen on the shoulders of the young generation. "It is our responsibility to preserve our old art," said Shrestha, "The responsibility of preserving our art culture now falls on the shoulders of the youth. Hanuman dance is our cultural identity. Considering the necessity to preserve it and pass it on to the next generation, we are regularly conducting training and educating the younger generation about the unique dance," added Shrestha.

Rajbhandari informed that the fairs and festivals, which were regularly organised, have helped transfer the glory, and importance of dance to the new generation.

 “Youths aged between 12 and 14 years participated in the Hanuman dance,” he said.

Rajbhandari said that the Hanuman dance requires a group of around 80 to 100 people including artists, musicians, priests, chiefs and managers. 

The participation of the youths shows that the new generation is showing interest in learning and preserving Hanuman dance, he added.