The Madal is fading away and so is the folk dance. This is Lalang village\u2019s present scenario where modern music is slowly replacing traditional ones.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s why Lalang village\u2019s mothers and grandmothers have taken up an initiative to conserve their culture.<\/p>\n
“We are both learning and teaching others to play Madal. We are also interested in bringing our traditional dancing styles to life,” said 72-year-old Bishnu Maya Rana.<\/p>\n
More than a dozen women are coming together at Biruwa village\u2019s Katahare and learning to play Madal, the traditional Nepali drum, since a few weeks.<\/p>\n
Many of them have shown interest towards singing and dancing, however, not everyone is able to get a grasp over the Madal.<\/p>\n
“In our time, women did not have much freedom. Yet, singing and dancing were allowed on special occasions. During such occasions, we did not play the Madal. It was played by the male,” recalled Rana<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Madal- A male-dominated skill<\/strong>
\nIn old times, men would play the traditional drum and in comparison only a few women in the community could play it well.<\/p>\n“In the past, women did not plow farms and also did not participate in funeral processions. But these days, we have to do everything as there is a dearth of males in the village. Women are slowly assuming all the male responsibilities and roles. We are learning,” Rana said.<\/p>\n
Earlier, playing the Madal was assigned to the men of the village but as men left to work abroad, women were left with no choice but to learn their skill.<\/p>\n
So now women are making an attempt to learn it. “We want to hand over this precious skill to our youngsters,” adds Rana.<\/p>\n
And women are doing it with much passion and dedication!<\/p>\n
Rana shares that as soon as her training is over, she\u2019s going to train others in the village. Some ladies have already begin training fellow villagers with whatever they\u2019ve learned at their classes.<\/p>\n
“In the past women were dependent on men for playing Madal. Now, we play Madal and sing and dance as we please,” Rana laughed.<\/p>\n
Similarly, a Syangja rural municipality has also been training its women to play Madal by joining hands with a local cultural preservation group.<\/p>\n
Another trainee Nanda Kumari is equally excited about this experience. Kumari is pretty good at dancing and singing she says. However, she had not idea about playing a Madal.<\/p>\n
“Back then, girls were not encouraged to play Madal. Only boys would play it,\u201d recollected Kumari<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
“But we are learning to play and we hope that many others will learn to play it from us,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n