Malshree dhun
{{Short description|Traditional Nepali Music}}
{{Infobox performing art
| name = Malshree (मालश्री)
| image =
| caption =
| medium = Music
| types =
| ancestor = Newa devotional music
| descendant =
| culture = Newar
| era = 17th century
}}
Malshree or Malashree Dhun or Malshree Dhoon (Nepal Bhasa: मालश्री धून) is a Hindu Newa artform in which musicians perform devotional music, based on classical raga and taal system.{{Cite web |url=http://www.isak.liu.se/ksm/presentation-ingemar/1.229067/Grandinpresentationtextonly.pdf |title=Paper:Understanding change in the Newar music culture: the bhajan revisited, Author:Ingemar Grandin |access-date=2018-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303210540/http://www.isak.liu.se/ksm/presentation-ingemar/1.229067/Grandinpresentationtextonly.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }}[http://asian-images.photoshelter.com/image/I0000BdMJ_KombZ8 Asian Images] The dhun is incorporated into mainstream Nepalese music as the music of Dashain. It is the tune that announces that Dashain, the biggest Hindu festival of Nepal, has arrived. Malashree dhun is one of the oldest surviving devotional musics of Nepal, with its origin in the 17th century.[http://ecs.com.np/features/melodious-instruments-of-lyrical-nepal MELODIOUS INSTRUMENTS OF LYRICAL NEPAL]
History
Classic devotional music has been in existence in Nepal for more than a thousand years.[http://www.majheri.com/node/2939 उपत्यकाभित्रका भक्तिगीत तथा भजनहरू Author: Dr. Saphalya Amatya] The time period between 11th to 17th century saw an increase in literary activity in Kathmandu. Numerous devotional music, dances, and plays have been found from this era. Most experts believe that the literary development during this era culminated in the development of Newa music form.
The earliest treatise on Malshree dhun found till date is a book in Nepal Bhasa called Sangit Chandra.Book:Nepalbhasa Sahityaya Itihas, Author:Premshanti Tuladhar, Publication:Nepalbhasa Academy, {{ISBN|978-99933-56-00-4}} The book was written as an appendix to Natya Shastra by the king of Bhaktapur Jagat Jyoti Malla and his minister Vanshamani Ojha. The book elaborates on Bharata Muni's Natya Shastra and Abhinavagupta's Abhinavabharati. This was followed by Gayanlochan, written during the reign of Jitamitra Malla. Gayanlochan focuses more on introduction to raga (and raginis), their characteristics, and performance.
Performance
The sitar, the tabla, the taa and the dhimay are the mainstays of the spiritually uplifting dhun, with some other instruments like the sarangi and flute taking a more subdued role. The melody is maintained by the sitar. The Malshree music is performed according to a fixed schedule, which is during the Dashain festival. There are specific pieces of music which are played during the specific season, specific day of the week and specific hours of the day.Book: Kantipur (कान्तिपुर), Author: Basu Pasa (बासुपासा)
Seasons, their festivals and music accompanying them are as follows
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;" |
| Season
! Festival ! Song ! Comments |
|---|
| Grishma (Summer)
|Sithinakha to Gathāmuga Chare |Sinjyā | |
| Barsha (Monsoon)
| Gathāmuga Chare to Yanlā Punhi | Tukājyā | |
| Sharad (Autumn)
| | Silu mye | |
| Hemant (Winter)
| Dashian (Mohanee) | Mālshree | Incorporated into mainstream Nepalese music as the music of Dashain |
| Shishir
| |Holi mye | |
| Basant
| Shree panchami to Buddha Jayanti | Vasanta | Played to Head of state of Nepal in Nasalchowk on Vasant Panchami |
See also
References
{{reflist|}}
External links
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grJd5jAeLM8 Malshree Dhun]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRuFuw5ltl4 British Library clip of Dapha (1955-56)]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptotAxIN1tg Newari Music - Mwe Dyahlhaygu 1952]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BghiTX0KDKA Asan Dapha Khala performing Dapha]
- [https://www.himalmag.com/kathmandu-a-valley-fertile-for-music Kathmandu, a valley fertile for music (Himal magazine)]