Campaign launched to revive Sangini

Hari Prasad Koirala, Urlabari, Nov. 11:The Mahila Jagaruk Hari Kirtan and Sangini Group of Pathari Shanishchare-3, Morang, has launched a campaign to revive the disappearing cultural heritage of Sangini dance.

 Even in this modern digital age where television, YouTube, online games, and smartphones dominate entertainment, the elderly women of this group have been working to connect the younger generation of girls with their own culture.

In earlier times, when there were no modern means of entertainment and communication, people in villages used to enjoy Balan and Sangini performances throughout the night during weddings, scared thread-wearing ceremonies, and religious fairs. 

While men performed Balan, women danced Sangini, preserving their cultural identity through song and dance. However, those traditions are now fading away. In such a context, a group of 41 women from Pathari Shanishchare has been working to reconnect the younger generation with old traditions.

Every evening, after finishing their studies, teenage girls gather at local temples and community halls to practice songs. 

Shastika Khatri, a seven grader, said, “Every community has its own cultural traditions. When I came to understand that Sangini is a dance and song our mothers have performed for generations, I started singing and dancing along with them.”

Along with Shastika, Kushma Bhattarai, Prakriti Khatri, Amisha Khatri, Apeksha Khatri, Dipika Bhattarai, Sampada Ghimire, Aakriti Pokhrel, and Melina Pokhrel also make time to practice Sangini dance.

The girls perform songs ranging from traditional Biraha (tragic song) sung during community gatherings to modern songs about women’s empowerment. Apeksha Ghimire said, “At first, I was a bit nervous, but now I have become more confident. I can sing and dance on any occasion.”

School teachers have also started praising their effort and confidence. With the encouragement of their mothers and support from teachers, the girls have now formed their own performance group. 

Dipika Bhattarai said, “The local government should provide opportunities for Sangini dance to be performed during the opening and closing ceremonies of various events, just like other dances.”

The chairperson of the Mahila Jagruk Hari Kirtan and Sangini Group, 70-year-old Manmaya Pokhrel, said that the purpose of the initiative is to prevent Sangini dance from disappearing and to pass on this cultural skill to the younger generation. 

“We have a group of 41 mothers. We have been teaching this art to our daughters and granddaughters by involving them in the group,” she added.

 “Whether or not others learn it, we are passing down this tradition to our daughters and granddaughters. This is our ancestral identity, and it is our responsibility to keep it alive.”