Handful Of My Scribbles: nepali artists

nepali artists

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आज यो बन्जर माटोमा टुसा पलायो

क्षितिजले पनि इन्द्रेणी बीच सँसार सजायो

यो मरुभुमीमा बादल बनी झरीरहनु

मनको रित्तो पानामा रातो मसी कोरीरहनु

तिमी जरा बन म हाँगा बनुला

बेजोड़ मौसममा नी सँगै फुलौला

तिमी सोच बन म शब्द बनुला

सँगै मिली निराकारको आकार कोरौला

आधा वाक्य तिमी भन, आधा म लेखुला।

आवाश कर्मा

Nothing turns oppression into opportunities for women like women strolling into the field they love to see themselves in. Long gone are the days when ‘rockstar’ was a word mostly associated with boys because today, girls mean business when they pick a tune and sing; it’s par ‘just a hobby’.

Today, empowerment of female gender is more of an exploration of feminine aspects, their implications and transformation and the development of a healthy psychology. And it all comes complete with the acceptance of the representations of the same.

The swarming Facebook shares of the link to vote Astha Tamang Maskey on an international Ryan Seacrest’s cover competition few months back is still afresh on our digital functioning minds and we have settled quite amicably to the art of female artists, pop stars or singers, and all we sought to address her kind as. But the conclusion often underived is whether or not ‘this enrichment in music industry by female artists is empowering women’.

Interpreting the message of empowerment if there is any depends upon the audience as much as it does on the performers. The validation of its practice is yet another thoughtful matter. Millions of girls worldwide acknowledged their heartbreak and moved on with Adele, collected their appraisals with Taylor Swift and nurtured their dreams and homes with Queen B, Beyonce. There is no doubt that girls (and boys even) gathered up their worth listening to Katy Perry’s Roar and Fireworks and the message got real when she collaborated with a domestic violence survivor to perform at the Grammy's this year.

(Brooke Axtell's Grammy Speech below)

Also, we really don’t have to go that far to seek inspiration or pursue the consent and contentment of being not born a male. Every household name currently, Aastha Raut enjoys her critical and commercial success and let you be reminded of how her songs question the basis of identification of a Nepali. It was her dominant voice demanding an answer if it is really necessary to wear a Chaubandi and Patuki or be capable of collecting fodder to be certified as a part of Nepal.

This hit song though not accurate, is a robust reflection of women’s limited rights to question which with time is escalating its spread. This had sparkled a decision-making power globally among the non-chaubandi and patuki wearing women as the acceptance of this song boldly answers ‘No’.

Aastha revealed that she had been a rebel since her childhood and chose songs that talked of the virtues of being a daughter and advocated rights for girls strongly. She time and again mentions her gratefulness to her guru Suresh Adhikari and further confirms, “I believe in respecting the difference people have, may it be culture, religion, nationality or gender. I have always wished to be the unheard voice of women and Jhumke Bulaki and Chaubandi ma Patuki represents me as a spokesperson for the youth who along with me, truly connected to those songs.”

One name we certainly cannot miss out, Abhaya Subba exemplifies the grand forte assembled by a woman and she not only summons women in concert but women in command. And the other important thing that we need to, not have to, but need to understand is that every song the female artists sing might not and will not contain the words of female empowerment, but they themselves on this platform standing tall and respectful is anything but the embodiment of a power that promotes every female division and subordination.

Even with the prevalent socioeconomic circumstance with marginal exploration access of available opportunities and abilities within, girls and women are emerging out on every major arena in addition to the example of industry of music discussed above. And hopefully this shall continue up to an extent where the word ‘woman empowerment’ will be extinct and if that would not be an ideal and equal world, then what would be?

Photo Source: (AASTHA RAUT) Artist's Facebook Profile.
(Published: ESSENCE Magazine, Year 04, Vol. 03, March 2015, Music)