Women in Barahakshetra play Panche Baja

By Baburam Karki,Barahakshetra, Jan. 5:The women of Singha Bahini Panche Baja Protection Group have become exemplary, proving that given the opportunity, they can be as capable as men in playing traditional instruments.

In recent times, Panche Baja has been disappearing from villages, prompting women in Barahakshetra Municipality-7 Devighat to form a group to preserve the traditional Nepali musical instruments.

Women started playing the Nepali traditional musical instruments to protect the Baja and make the women skilled, and later they formed a group.

After they stopped finding people to play the Panche Baja in the auspicious functions such as weddings and other pujas in the village, women learned to play the Baja and took up protection.

Shushila Udas, President of Singha Bahini Panche Baja Protection Group, said that the women learned to play Panche Baja for thirty days last year with the financial support of Barahakshetra Municipality.

President Udas said that they go to play at weddings and other events, charging between Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 35,000 per day depending on the distance.

Since August, the women have earned Rs. 250,000, receiving bookings for weddings, sacred thread ceremonies, Diwali, and pujas.

 Women who have learned to play the Panche Baja have started receiving bookings for weddings, sacred thread ceremonies, Diwali and pujas 

in advance.

President Udas said that they have already been booked for weddings from January to March.

 Women who purchased five instruments on a loan of Rs. 180,000 and, through their earnings, have successfully repaid the loan, 

she added. 

Hiranya Karki, a local, acknowledged the progress made by the women's group in protecting the Panche Baja in Barahakshetra Municipality.

A 66-year-old Radha Niraula, who started playing the Sanahi, said that playing the instrument, which she had never played in her life, was a little off-putting at first, but now she is getting comfortable. 

She said, "We need everyone's cooperation in this campaign, which was started saying that Panche Baja should be preserved.