Jhalak Man Gandarbha “The most significant Nepali Folk Singer”

Jhalak Man Gandarbha (1935 - November 23, 2003) is one of the most significant Nepali folk singer. He is popular for Gaine Geet or Gandarbha Sangeet, a popular type of folk song sung only by the Gaine or Gandarbha ethnic group of Nepal. He is the first Gaine singer to record Gaine song and is respected for bringing voice of native and ordinary people into the mass media.

Jhalak Man Gandarbha started singing for a livelihood in villages of Nepal from the age of nine. He learned to sing, dance, and play music early on from his father. He started his career as a street singer to earn his living. With the help of Dharmaraj Thapa, he got a place in Radio Nepal station in 1965. Aamale Sodhlin Ni… is by far his most popular song, which intones the death of a Nepali soldier on a foreign battle ground. He has also performed in various countries, including Germany, Belgium, Yugoslavia, France, and India.

Jhalak Man composed Karkhas of some twenty Nepali heroes who have shown their bravery during the Second World War. Gaje Ghale, honored with Victoria Cross after the Second World War, is one of them. He appreciates the significant efforts made by Kumar Basnet, Ram Thapa, Sambhu Rai, Jayananda Lama, Premraja Mahat, Bam Bahadur Rai, Chandra Shah, Mira Rana, Gyanu Rana, Dharmaraj Thapa, and Lochan Bhattarai to preserve the importance of folk songs.

The Gandarbhas are inhabitants in Gorkha, Kaski, Lamjung, Dang, Salyan, Tanahu, Baglung, Parbat, Palpa, Banke, Bardiya, Chitwan, Makwanpur, and Syangja districts. Jhalak Man believes that this caste of people is primarily from Gorkha and was scattered through out the country in their course for the search for new villages to entertain.

Jhalak Man Gandarba has recorded only one album but that was enough to give him the recognition of one of the most influential and popular folk singers of Nepal. He devoted his entire life in collecting, composing, performing and promoting Gaine Geet. His contribution in the Nepali folk music is remarkable and inspires many Nepalese singers in the field of folk music. We, the Nepalese people, should salute such a great legend of Nepali music, who has given a lot of contributions in promoting the Nepali Folk Music.