KATHMANDU, Oct 26: Nepali folk-rock band Nepathya is set to perform at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim, India, on October 31.
Following the concert announcement, the event received support from the state government. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang Golay unveiled the concert tickets and Nepathya-branded T-shirts during the main ceremony marking India's 80th Republic Day.
This will be Nepathya's fourth performance in Sikkim. Organizers expect the concert to be a special occasion, as it will be held at the capital's main stadium. Paljor Stadium, known for hosting football tournaments, was developed into a multipurpose venue and inaugurated by former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam.
“Extensive preparations are underway, from organizing the concert to arranging the necessary resources. We have given special priority to stadium management and security,” said Bikesh Kayastha of Positive Vibes Entertainment Network, the event organizer.
Nepathya to perform in Sikkim
Kayastha said the concert also aims to promote Sikkim's Himalayan beauty and boost the morale of the younger generation.
The stadium gates will open at 5 pm on October 31, with the concert scheduled to begin at 7 pm.
Music rooted in Nepali, Bhutia and Lepcha folk traditions is popular in Sikkim. Instruments such as the madal, sarangi, damphu, tungna and naumati are widely used, while Tamang Selo and folk forms such as jhyāure, dohori, maruni, chutka and sorathi remain popular. Palam singing and Chyabrung drumming and dancing are also part of local traditions.
Nepathya's songs, collected during journeys through rural Nepal, have long found an audience in Sikkim, where local radio stations regularly play the band's music and air interviews with lead singer Amrit Gurung.
“I occasionally receive heartfelt messages from listeners who enjoy Nepathya's songs on Sikkim's radio stations. The enthusiastic reports about the upcoming stadium concert have further boosted our morale,” Amrit said.
He added that audiences from the Sikkim-Darjeeling region were among the first to invite Nepathya to perform soon after the band's formation.
“For the past few years, we have successfully presented the band at both international venues and small villages,” said Kiran Krishna Shrestha of Nepalaya, which manages the band. “In the past month alone, we have received encouraging responses from audiences in South Korea, Dubai and Kathmandu, and we expect a similar response in Sikkim.”
Amrit will be accompanied by Dhurba Lama on drums, Subin Shakya on bass guitar, Niraj Gurung on guitar, Shanti Bahadur Rayamajhi on madal and Dinesh Raj Regmi on keyboards.
After the Sikkim concert, Nepathya will perform in Itahari on November 4 and Charali, Jhapa, on November 7. Following Tihar, the band will tour four small and medium-sized cities in Nepal before travelling to Australia in December.
Tickets for the concerts are available online through Nepathya's official website.
