On a Friday, February 20, 2019, Padma Gurungsini, who had gone to her family from Mahottari, was attacked by robbers at her home. This was not the story of an ordinary woman. This story of bravery, of taking off her jewelry, raising a khukuri in her right hand, striking the robber on the head, and ultimately defeating the robbers, is still alive today, hundreds of years later – in the Gandharva song ‘Karkha’.

The Nepali Comprehensive Dictionary defines Karkha as ‘a story that conveys courage and bravery, sung in praise or remembrance of bravery or a brave man in the form of songs, poems, etc.’ However, this definition cannot encompass the real importance of Karkha. Karkha is the documentation of history to the tune of the sarangi. 

Purna Nepali, a cultural activist born in the Gandharva settlement of Batulechaur in Pokhara, prepared a book called ‘Gandharva: Music and Culture’ after 16 years of study. He has documented detailed details of Gandharva culture through the book.

‘Karkha is not only a heroic story, it is a medium to present a comprehensive introduction to national figures, rulers and heroes,’ he says, ‘It includes historical events, geographical details, social truths, administrative realities, political secrets and even the secrets of rulers.’ 

When there was no means of communication, the Maniram singers of Gorkha would go from village to village singing Karkha. The Gandharvas of Kaski, Palpa, and Tanahun would sing Gandharva raga in the same way. His book contains a written version of Karkha sung since the time of Prithvi Narayan Shah. The Karkhas of the Shah dynasty to Bhakti Thapa, Amar Singh Thapa, Jung Bahadur, and Chandra Shamsher are preserved. 

The memories of Purna Nepali, who grew up in Batulechaur, are a vivid picture of Gandharva culture. ‘When I was young, I loved the sight of my ancestors dancing with swords in their hands while singing Pingal, Mangal, Belol, Mahal, Malshree, Karkha, Sawai, playing Arbajo, Sarangi, Madal, Kathtal, Mujura, during any puja-aaj, wedding, fast, or festival in my village Batulechaur,’ he recalls.

These scenes were not just cultural rituals, they were a display of knowledge and skills passed down from one generation to the next. Each song, melody and rhythm carried a story. The role of the Gandharvas in the cultural fabric of Nepali society is that of cultural documentaries.

They were not just entertainers, but were also carriers of society's memory, history and communicators of community news. Their main weapon was the Karkha. They kept oral history alive by immersing heroic events, historical victories and social changes in the sound of music. The songs covered topics ranging from political intrigue to the bravery of ordinary people, from the beauty of nature to human struggles.

The Karkha was a musical expression of collective memory. Accompanied by the Sarangi and Arbajo, these songs took the listener on a journey where history and art were wonderfully intertwined. Be it the heroic story of the famous Padma Rani or the story of Bhakti Thapa's sacrifice, each Karkha presented a vivid picture. These songs did not only describe the event, but also presented its social reaction, human emotions and historical context in a melodious manner.

Karkha is not only a description of heroism, but also a document of historical truth. The Karkha sung by the Gandharvas contains social truth, administrative reality, political secrets, scientific knowledge, national understanding, ethnic pride and secret matters of the rulers. The songs sung by the Gandharvas are invaluable works of Nepali literature in terms of emotional seriousness, subject scope and melodiousness. Although the creators and writers of these works may be unknown, their importance is no less.

Karkha was not just a means of entertainment, it was a powerful tool for nation-building. Karkha encouraged and spread praise for brave men. Praise encourages a person and encouraging brave men is an indirect contribution to the defense of the nation.

Making and singing Karkha is a complex subject, but an even more complex subject is selecting the right and worthy personality for the qualities and faults of the personality described in the Karkha. For this, it is necessary to have a strong ability to explore and evaluate. The Gandharvas have sung Karkhas not only of male heroes, but also of female heroes. Padma Gurungsini's Karkha is an excellent example of this.

Padma Rani, who had gone to her family in Mahottari, was married to Lal Singh. On Friday, Falgun 20, robbers came to rob her. However, Padma Rani took off her ornaments and hit the robber on the head with a khukuri in her right hand. The robbers could not defeat her and had to flee. This Karkha also provides historical information that Padma Rani was the daughter of Panchbir Subedar and her husband was Lal Singh Gurung. The song says:

‘Janaman Payin Padma Rani Hijki Kamai

Falitaka Runka Kula Ra Udayi

Abai Mohottari Chevai Rani Ko Jasilo Ra Puda

Pada Bhain Sudin Ko Ghari’

Bhakti Thapa’s Karkha is the best example of Gandharva literature. Bhakti Thapa, one of the five brothers of Bir Amar Singh Thapa, had a wonderful confluence of patriotism and royal devotion. This Karkha narrates the heroic story of Bhakti Thapa’s victorious journey from Tanahun, Lamjung to Chaubisi Rajya, Bheri, Karnali and Mahakali. He spent the wealth he won in the war towards protecting the nation.

Purna Nepali says, ‘In the end, he also got the responsibility of throwing the Kangra. It is said that Bhimsen Thapa had expressed his desire to go to that war, but Bhakti Thapa got that privilege. That is why Bhimsen Thapa did not submit the letter demanding the necessary expenses for the war to the king and Bhakti Thapa had to give up his life in the battle due to lack of money.’ This Karkha also reveals a historical mystery – how political intrigue brought down a brave warrior.

Karkhas from the founder of Gorkha, Drvya Shah, to Narbhupal Shah have become extremely rare. Even priceless materials like the song of the Danfe bird recorded on Radio Nepal are in a state of mold and cannot be played.

At present, this glorious tradition is facing a serious crisis. The storm of modernity is silencing this ancient art. The new generation is not being attracted to this type of complex art. What Sammar Bahadur Gaik of Pokhara Hemja has done recently is a matter of concern. He clearly stated, ‘The new generation of Gandharvas are not attracted to Karkha singing because it is difficult.’

He taught Sarangi to children in Hemja and is now trying to teach Karkha after understanding the raga. The art that was once a matter of pride, today seems economically and socially inadequate.

This picture deepens even more when we meet the condition of 90-year-old Khim Bahadur Gandharva of Batulechaur. He reached China in 2013 and sang to Mao Zedong, but is unable to use his left hand due to high blood pressure. He is unable to pass on his treasure of knowledge to the next generation. Having reached the end of his life, he sounded worried, ‘This Karkha tradition will also disappear with me.’

Sammar Bahadur sees a need for systematic and creative efforts to save this tradition. He has a solution – to record the Karkha singing of the surviving senior Gandharvas in audio-video form and create a digital library, to make Karkha singing and Sarangi playing a part of the curriculum in local cultural institutions, schools, and colleges, to present it by fusing it with modern music to attract the younger generation to this art form, and to open up alternative avenues of income from it. ‘The government should recognize the importance of this tradition at the national level and implement a special plan for its preservation and promotion,’ he says.