The Gandharba Cultural Arts Organization has expressed serious concern that the character created targeting the Gandharva community, which carries the history of Nepalese folk music, in the program ‘Comedy Club with Champions’, which is being broadcast weekly on Nepal Television, has hurt the self-esteem of the entire community. Presenter and director of the program, Bishal Bhandari, is conducting the program, and the artist playing the role of Gandharba character has presented the originality, art, culture, profession, use of sarangi and language of the Gandharba community in an unlimited manner.
General Secretary of the organization Anil Gandharba issued a statement in the program, the character made on the Gandharba community and the sarangi player associated with the community has presented the community’s art, culture, sarangi with disdain and it has hurt the self-esteem and reputation of the entire community, so the series associated with the character should be immediately removed and he asked the relevant authorities to apologize publicly. Although he informed the program presenter Bhandari about this matter, Although he informed the program presenter Bhandari about this matter, he objected that the program was still presenting the Gandharba community and the art, culture and instruments with contempt.
“There is no doubt that Gandharba and Sarangi represent the folk culture of the country, our contribution to the folk culture of the country is equally relevant today. We do not need to mention the role played by this community through music in various changes in the country, such programs should be removed immediately as such programs have traumatized the entire community,” said the statement.
Gandharba, the general secretary of the organization, says that the sarangi, the original instrument of the Gandharba community, is not only a musical instrument, but also a symbol of the nation’s identity, life, unity and history. Recalling the invaluable contribution made by the Gandharva community in the social and political movements in different periods of the country, the General Secretary Gandharba said that such characters and programs presented for cheap popularity have shocked the entire community. He has also asked to remove the Gandharba character included in the program immediately and to use sarangi in a dignified manner. He has also warned that legal action will be taken if all the scenes related to the Gandharba character are not removed from the program.
