Nepali original songs have a distinct flavor, a rhythm. They have a distinct singing style, and the instruments they play are different. Timeless songs have been echoing in the forests and forests for years. They are making the city sway. The audience is mesmerized, mesmerized, and bowed down to this original melody. A 'different' voice has been mixed into this originality.

'Another' means another Mukherjee. This voice added sweetness to those original rhythms. Another's singing, melodious voice and devotion to music also brought the young audience back to those original melodies. Another not only connected himself with Nepali music, he also connected others. Because, for him, another identity of music is group, community and community. Kantipur journalist Rina Moktan spoke to that other Mukherjee about his relationship with Nepali songs, his search for singing, folk rhythms and music: You came to Nepal for the program 'Echoes in the Valley', how was the performance?

Bhushan Dai (artist) called me. He is a friend of my old friend from Darjeeling, Vikas Da (Pradhan). They had been working in Kathmandu for a long time. They used to work in MPham. When I met Vikas Dai in Darjeeling, he told me about Echoes in the Valley. So I already knew about this festival. For various reasons, I don't live in India. Two years ago, Bhushan Dai called me. I didn't have time then, so I came this time. The festival was very good, I am very happy that this festival is organized here.

Isn't this your second performance at Echoes?

No. It is the first time. I must have performed 30/40 times in Kathmandu. But, this is the first time at a festival like Echoes. It was a very good experience. It brings together everyone from the youth to the old people in the village. It brings people from all classes and age groups together in one place at the festival.

When did you first listen to Nepali songs, what is your relationship with Nepali music?

I first heard a Nepali song in a small village on the border of Darjeeling and Ilam. It is a village called Manebhanjyang. There is a canal in the middle of the village. One side of it faces Nepal, the other faces India. There are many houses on that border. Some houses face Nepal, some face Darjeeling. The people living there do not really exist. In India, they are called Nepalis, and in Nepal, they are called Indians. The existence of those living there is in danger. But they have not crossed that border, they have been living there for years. Yes, the political border has divided them. But, those living there are not divided. Tamangs, Lepchas, Limbus, Sherpas, and Newars live together there.

When I was in grade 4/5, I reached Manebhanjyang as a scout. That is the starting point for the Kanjanjunga trek. From there, you can reach Sandakpur in some places. I have been a trekker for a long time. My father was also a mountaineer. My father and uncle have done many treks like this. They used to reach difficult heights. He taught me to walk in the mountains, introduced me to the people of the Himalayan region. At that time, I made a friend. He was older than me. His name is Arjun Sherpa. He saw the singing talent in me. He taught me a Nepali song at that time. That song was Resham Phiri. This song was with me since I was 9/10 years old. Now I am 40, this song stayed with me for 30/31 years. Arjun is no longer in this world. But, the Manebhanjyangs are still my friends. My relationship with Vinay Moktan, Mam (Grandmother) and Clara Aama is the same. Clara Aama always cooked and fed me. The reason was, I would always return to the mountains after lying at home. I was one of those children who were difficult to handle. When I packed my bags and ran away, there was no place to stay, Vinay's house was my home. I used to come to Darjeeling with 300 rupees in my pocket. The people of that village are very nice. Their children are grown up now. But, this was 20-25 years ago, when they gave me a place to stay. They fed me Nepali food, Gundruk, mustard greens, tree tomato pickles! I first heard a Nepali song in a small village on the border of Darjeeling and Ilam. That is a village called Manebhanjyang. There is a canal in the middle of that village. One side of it faces Nepal, the other side faces India.

I learned many Nepali songs in Manebhanjyang. Nepali songs were always playing on the radio. That village was so poor that there was no institution or training to teach music. So everyone learned music from the radio. They would sing happily playing a broken guitar. When a festival came there, everyone would sing together. Darjeeling was secluded, for Bengalis, that place was a tourist attraction. But, what is the life of the people there like, what can be done to improve their lives? This was a matter of concern only for those living there. They lived their lives independently. They forgot their caste and identity and lived their lives openly.

I came to Nepal only much later. It was only then that I realized that life here and there were very different.

That upbringing also taught me to live carefree. It taught me how important relationships and conversations are with people and what role music can play in that. No matter what song it was, whether it was Mohini Lagla Hai or Akashayma Chil Ho or Besar. Every song played on the radio was played there very well. Drinking Tongba at night, and eating meat and thinking about life in Nepal would make me emotional. I grew up like that. I came to Nepal only much later. Only then did I realize that life here and there are very different. Life in the Himalayas there is very difficult. People who worked there from Solukhumbu also came there. It is very cold there. Up in the Himalayas, their children worked as masons. When the sun came out, they would bathe the children. When I reached there from Calcutta, I saw a lot of resilience in them. All that changed my thinking about Nepali music. My love for Nepal grew. After coming to Nepal, I saw the old civilization here, met different castes and languages. There, we all spoke Nepali. And we spoke broken Bengali, and a little Hindi. That's how my relationship with Nepali music began. That's why Nepal and its songs have a special meaning for me.

How much time did you spend in Manebhanjyang?

Oh my God! It's very difficult to say. In my childhood, I used to spend 2-3 months of the year there. Then I went to Darjeeling, where I also started earning some money. I come from a lower-middle-class family, for whom education was essential. You couldn't consider music as your career. My father is an engineer, but he became an engineer with great sadness. My mother used to sing on All India Radio. Both my parents were scholars of Indian classical music. I was not really attracted to that music. At the age of 2-3, they used to make me sing on the harmonium. I didn't like it at all. At the age of 10, I went against it. There was a rift in the family. But, they never gave up on me. I think my parents are happy that I am singing people's songs. When I started earning a little money from music, they started supporting me.

Did you start earning money from a young age?

Yes, I started earning from class 8. At that time, my first rock band was. I loved rock music. Only later did I realize that this was not my path. At that time, I joined hundreds of bands. We used to sing and play in clubs. At that time, I was given a list of more than 120 English songs. I had to sing songs from the Beatles to CSNY and Coco Jambo. In between those songs, I would also sing Nepali songs. I would also mix in a Bengali one. So I am a little bit blues, a little bit funk. A little bit pop, disco. I was busy like that from the age of 11 to 19. I would earn a little by singing. By that time, I had realized that if I wanted to continue music, I would have to earn. My father always said that you have to earn to live, that only after hard work can you stand on your own feet. Looking back now, I think that helped me a lot.

When did you get a taste of folk music?

When I was 19, I didn't feel like singing English songs. I had already started writing songs by then. But, I couldn't find a place to sing those songs. That's when I realized that I like folk music. At that time, my uncle (Subhashis Mukherjee), who was a sitar player, turned me to Indian classical music. Especially my father and mother used to sing khiyal and thumri. But, they never pushed me towards music. My uncle always pushed me.

In modern music, I listened to Premdhwaj Pradhan, Narayan Gopal. When you listen to modern music, you find the simplicity of the music composer mixed in it. You find that simple nature when you listen to those songs.

When my uncle passed away, it made me prove myself in music. And I started copying the songs of Salamat Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar and writing their timing and notation. I listened to Premdhwaj Pradhan, Narayan Gopal in modern music. When you listen to modern music, you find the simplicity of the music composer mixed in it. You find that same simple nature when you listen to those songs. This language of music connects these two. Like Tiriri Murli Bajo Vanaima… . The flute melody in it is expressed in words; which creates a new language. Especially in the 50s, 60s, 70s, such a language has been created. From Pannakaji Shakya to Narayan Gopal's time, it seems like this. How many songs seem to have been adopted in the new ones. For example, Tiriri Murli Bajo, A Kanchha Thattai Ma Yo Bains Jan Lago . These songs are connected to each other. In music, everyone is influenced by someone or the other. That is also acceptable. Nowadays, everyone values ​​themselves more than the community. Self-love is a good thing. But, it kills the essence of collectivity. But, both sides should be there. You should take care of yourself and the community. It is the same in music.

You came to Nepal much later, didn't you? I sang 'Resham Phiri' from 2012 to 2015. One day, I was traveling in Kathmandu. I heard a voice in the car, which I had never heard before. By then, I had learned to sing in 20 languages.

If you consider a part of Manebhanjyang as Nepal, then I came when I was 9 years old. But, this is a very complicated question. Does Nepal consider that place across the border in Ilam as Nepal? For me, when I jump from that well, one side is Nepal and the other is Darjeeling. I challenge this cultural divide. A village where Nepali rupees are used, another is Indian, food is used everywhere. This is how a community comes into existence. A community is a bird. If you are on the border, you are a bird. You can fly there with the money of any country.

How much money was used in Manebhanjyang?

It was fun to see the mobile tower there. The Indian network worked in Manebhanjyang, but the Nepali network worked. All Nepali networks worked there. In some places, Indian currency was used. But, none of your cultural stereotypes work there, the way we understand our existence does not work there. I want to destroy that so-called absolutist culture through music.

The Nepali songs you sang went viral, how many of our youth started listening to the originals of those songs after listening to that song?

I didn't sing any song to make it viral. I sang 'Resham Firiri' from 2012 to 2015. One day I was traveling in Kathmandu. I heard a voice in the car, which I had never heard before. By then, I had learned to sing in 20 languages. I had learned a little African. I had also started singing jazz. I started singing Brazilian pacason music. I started singing folk music from Spain, Italy and Iceland. I started singing blues. But, in that car driving in Kathmandu, a sarangi tune that I had never heard before was playing. I asked the driver about the singer at that time. He didn't recognize him. तर, मलाई त्यो गीतको गायकी अनि त्यसलाई गाउँदा लिइने 'इन्टरभल' एकदम मनपर्‍यो ।

त्यो गीत थियो -

बाला जोवन, खेलेर गयो बैंस जोवन  । मलाई त्यो गीत सुन्दा सुरुमै लाग्यो - यो के गीत हो ? त्यसको केही पक्ष त बंगालीको सन्ताली गाउँमा सुनेजस्तो पनि लाग्यो । त्यो ठम्याउन नपाउँदै गीतमा 'राम राम, राम गयो वनैमा' भन्ने 'टेम्पो' मज्जाले बज्यो । त्यो गीतको केही शब्द बुझिनँ । खसीलाई खासी भनेर गाइएको थियो । पछि यो मैले गीत गाउँदा कतिले उसको बेंगोली लवज आयो भन्छन् । खासमा त्यो गीतमा त्यसरी नै शब्दहरु खेलाइन्छ । कारण त्यो गीत जुन भेगको हो त्यहीँको शब्द उच्चारण त्यसमा छ । त्यसपछि मैले सुनें, 'तिम्रो नै माया लाग्दछ शाइँली' । यसमा लाग्दछ, शाँइली गाइएको छ साइँली होइन । सम्झन्छु पनि होइन सम्झन्छु छिनछिन हो । त्यसमा डोटेली लवज, खस भाषा भेटिन्छ । काठमाडौंको मान्छेले मैले किन त्यसरी गाउँदैछु भन्ने बुझ्न पहिला यो बुझ्नुपर्छ । शब्द त भइहाल्यो, तर यी गीत गाउँदाको गायकी नै समात्न गाह्रो छ ।

मभित्रको पोलिग्लट (अरूको गायकीलाई पक्रन सक्ने) ले पनि यो गायकी समात्न सकेन । तब मलाई लाग्यो - अरे यो कस्तो गायकी हो ? त्यसपछि मैले दुई दिनसम्म यो गीत खोजेँ अनि झलकमान गन्धर्वबारे जानेँ । उहाँ पश्चिमतिरको लेजेन्डरी गायक हुनुहुँदो रहेछ । मैले अहिलेसम्म उहाँका २/३ गीत गाइसकें । गन्धर्व समुदायले मेरो गायकीलाई मनपराउनु भएको छ । म अर्को वर्ष उहाँको घर जाँदैछु, त्यहाँको गन्धर्व समुदायले सम्मान गर्ने पनि भन्नुभएको छ । सन् २०१७ र२०१८ तिर हो मैले गाएको गीतले धेरै दर्शक पाएको ।

कोभिडको बेलामा पनि अलि बढी चर्चा कमायो नि, होइन ?

होइन नि । त्यो भन्दा अघि मैले पोखरामा पनि गीत गाइसकेको थिएँ । त्यो भन्दा अगाडि नेपाल जिप्सी ज्याजमा हरि महर्जनसँग गाएँ । बरु कोभिडले क्राउड फन्डिङबारे सोच्न लगायो । अविकसित क्षेत्रका लागि क्राउड फन्डिङ थालें । त्यतिबेला अलिकति संगीतमा ग्याप भयो ।

हो म बंगाली परम्परागत संगीत सुनेर हुर्कें । तर, कसैले मलाई तिमी कस्तो संगीत गर्छौं भन्यो भने म उनीहरूलाई नेपाली र अफ्रिकन संगीतलाई फोकस गर्छु भनिदिन्छु ।

म ती संगीतकर्मीलाई धन्यवाद दिन चाहन्छु जसले धेरै वर्षदेखि संगीत गर्न मलाई साथ दियो । जसलाई थाहा थियो म संगीतको मामिलामा अन्सर्टेन छु । इकोज इन द भ्यलीकै प्रस्तुतिका लागि हामीले कुनै रिहर्सल गरेनौं । कुन गीत गाउने पनि तय थिएन । कौस्तभ यहाँ छ(छेउमा भएको गीतारवादक देखाउँदै), ल्याटिन अमेरिकन संगीत सिकिरहेको छ उसले । उसले नै मलाई नेपाली लोक गीतलाई अफ्रिकन लयमार्फत हेर्न लगाएको हो । गायकहरू आली फर्क टुरे, टुमानी डिबाटेहरु मसँग झलकमान जसरी नै लामोसमयदेखि रहँदै आएको हो । हो म बंगाली परम्परागत संगीत सुनेर हुर्कें । तर, कसैले मलाई तिमी कस्तो संगीत गर्छौं भन्यो भने म उनीहरूलाई नेपाली र अफ्रिकन संगीतलाई फोकस गर्छु भनिदिन्छु । यसको मतलब म अरू संगीत सुन्दिन भन्ने होइन । तर, म यी दुई संगीतमा अहिले केन्द्रित छु । अहिले मेरो समूहमा सजिव डुप्की बजाउँछ । अनि उसले नेपाली मादलको धुन डुप्कीमा बजाउँदैछ । ड्रमरले पनि लोक लय ल्याउने कोसिस गर्छ ।

यी सबको पछाडि मानिसकै शक्ति छ । जस्तै तपाईं मानिस नचाउने संगीत दिँदै हुनुहुन्छ । अनि उनीहरूलाई गाउन लगाउँदै हुनुहुन्छ । त्यसैले यसमा सबैको उतिकै ऊर्जा छ । त्यसैले यहाँ कुनै मेरो संगीत भन्ने छैन, तिम्रो संगीत भन्ने पनि छैन । मानिसहरूले ५ हजार वर्षदेखि संगीत गर्दै आएको छ, मेरो तेरो कपिराइट भन्ने कुरा आएको एक सय वर्ष त भयो । तपाईं अल्तमिराको गुफामा जानुभयो भने त्यहाँ सांगितिक वाद्यवादन देख्नुहुन्छ । दमादम मस्तकलन्दर भन्ने गीत १४ औं शदाब्दीतिर गाइएको हो । अहिलेको सुफी गीत कभर मात्रै हो । कभर भन्ने शब्द नयाँ भयो । कसैले बाउल संगीत गर्दा त्यो कभर हुँदैन भने कसैले नेपाली गीत गाउँदा त्योचाहिँ कसरी कभर हुन्छ ?

मेरो लागि यदि कुनै गीत, गीत हो भने त्यो लोकगीत हो । झलकमानले जति गीत गाए त्यो उहाँको हजुरबुबा अनि उहाँभन्दा अगाडि गाइएको थियो । त्यो नै संगीतको जादु हो । ती संगीतकारले त्यो गीतमा आफ्नोपन मिसाइदिएर डेमोक्रेटिसाइज बनाइदिए ।

मेरो लागि यदि कुनै गीत, गीत हो भने त्यो लोकगीत हो । झलकमानले जति गीत गाए त्यो उहाँको हजुरबुबा अनि उहाँभन्दा अगाडि गाइएको थियो । त्यो नै संगीतको जादु हो । ती संगीतकारले त्यो गीतमा आफ्नोपन मिसाइदिएर डेमोक्रेटिसाइज बनाइदिए । त्यही गीतलाई अरुलाई हस्तान्तरण गरे । त्यसरी त्यो गीत र त्यसको संगीत तपाईंभित्र बाँच्यो । संगीतकारको काम नै त्यही हो । तपाईंले नेपालीमा पनि लोक लय मात्रै रोज्नुका कारण अरू के छन् ?  के हाम्रो लोकलय विश्वका अन्य लोक गीतभन्दा फरक छ ?

धेरै फरक छ । कलकत्तामा बस्दा मैले रेडियोको महत्त्व बुझिनँ जति मानेभञ्ज्याङमा बुझें । नेपालमा फरक भेगमा मादल नै फरक तरिकाले बजाइन्छ । पश्चिममा फरक छ, पूर्वमा फरक छ । चाडमा बजाइने संगीत फरक छ । नेवार, गुरुङ र डोटेली संगीत फरक छ । १ सय ४२ भाषा भएको ठाउँमा कति संगीत होला ? यहाँ संगीतका फरक शैली भेटिन्छ । म नेपालसँग जोडिएको छु, त्यो जोडिएको अनुभवकै कारण यहाँको संगीत गर्छु । ब्राजिलमै हेर्‍यो भने शाम्बाका थुप्रै शैली छन् । पहिला तपाईं जमिनसँग जोडिएको हुनुपर्‍यो । यहाँका मानिस अनि यहाँका प्रकृतिसँग जोडिनु पर्‍यो । तर, त्यो रोजेर भएको हुँदैन । मैले कलकत्तामा जन्मिन रोजेको होइन नि । त्यसरी पाएको भए अफ्रिकाको जुबुटी रोज्थें होला । तर, अहिले म के गर्छु ? भन्ने त मेरो हातमा छ । सबै मानिसलाई गीतमार्फत कसरी सँगै बनाउन सकिन्छ भन्ने नै मेरो उद्देश्य हो ।

छुटिनुअघि म्युनिखमा बसेर गरिरहनुभएको अनुसन्धानमाथि अलिकति बताइदिनुस् ?

म्युनिखमा श्रीमती र म थुप्रै विषयमा अनुसन्धान गरिरहेका छौं । उनी एकेडेमिक डान्सर र रिसर्चर हुन् । उनको नाम स्यान्ड्रा च्याटर्जी हो ।

ओहो, च्याटर्जी ?

हामी दुवैलाई हाम्रो थर मन पर्दैन । थरकै कारण ठूलो सानो मानेको मन पर्दैन । त्यसैले हामी स्यान्ड्रा र अर्को हौं । अर्कोको अर्थ दिनको पहिलो सूर्य भन्ने हो संस्कृतमा । अहिले स्यान्ड्रा 'एन्टि रेसिस्ट रिसर्च'मा काम गरिरहेकी छन् । हामी डान्स, संगीत र थिएटरलाई जोडेर त्यसमा अनुसन्धान गरिरहेका छौं । सुगन्धबाट हुने विभेदमाथि पनि अध्ययन गरिरहेका छौं । त्यसमा मानवशास्त्रीय दृष्टिकोण जोडेर अध्ययन गरिरहेका छौं ।

झट्ट हेर्दा अहिले मानव जाति आफ्नो जरातिर फर्किरहेको देखिन्छ । संगीतमै पनि आफ्नो धुन, लयतर्फ फर्केको देखिन्छ नि ?

एआईको दबदबा बढेको यो समयमा हामीले यो प्रश्न आफैंसँग गर्न आवश्यक छ । के यो एआई हो या एसी(आर्टिफिसियल कन्ससनेस) ? के हामी हाम्रो चेतनामाथि एआईलाई प्रवेश गराउँदैछौं ? संस्कृति भनिरहँदा के हामीले यसको शब्दलाई केल्यायौं । कल्चर भनेको त ग्रीकको कुल्टुस भन्ने शब्दबाट आयो । त्यसको अर्थ धेरै ठूलो छैन, वास्ता गर्नु हो । भूमिको वास्ता ।

तपाईंको संगीतमा तपाईंको स्थान ल्याउनुस् । तपाईंको कलामा तपाईंको समय, ठाउँ आयो भने त त्यसमा ओरिजिनालिटी आउँछ । ओरिजिनालिटी भनेको गीत लेखेर सुनिसकेको लयमा गाउनु होइन । अहिलेको समयको, यहाँका मानिसहरूको गीत बनाउनुस् । अनि त कलाले मानिसलाई वास्ता गर्न, जोड्न र समानुभूत गर्न लगाउँछ ।