How drums, guitar, and Nepali songs come together in Sikkim’s music

As you near Siliguri, a few kilometres from Bagdogra, the Teesta becomes your constant companion till you reach Yuksom, a little town in western Sikkim. The river of Himalayan origin takes on different shapes and colours as it flows along the plains and steep winding hills. After a gruelling drive, as you enter Yuksom, tucked away in the foothills of the Kanchenjunga (the world’s third highest mountain), the setting sun’s rays coat the daunting mountain range in ochre and gold. Located at an altitude of 5,800ft, Yuksom is bitterly cold for most part of the day — the snow-clad peaks look like inverted ice-cream cones, while the tall pine trees add a dash of vibrant green to the gorgeous landscape. Little wonder, Sikkim, with its Buddhist mix of Nepalis, Bhutias and Lepchas, ranked fifth in the India Happiness report last year.

Yuksom (which means the meeting place of the three Lamas) is where Phuntsog Namgyal, the first Chogyal or king of Sikkim, was crowned in 1642. Below the well-preserved coronation site, where prayer flags flutter around, is the Thang Gyal monastery with a huge statue of Thangtong Gyalpo, the monk who built iron suspension bridges in Tibet and Bhutan, designed several stupas and created Lhamo, the Tibetan opera.

Dubdi monastery in Yuksom
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The best of both worlds

There couldn’t have been a better place to hold the Sikkim Art and Literature Festival. Launched this year, it allows for a space where tradition comfortably mingles with the contemporary. Backed by the State Government and curated by Teamwork Arts, the two-day event brought together musicians, poets, authors, historians, environmentalists and wellness experts. The crowded sessions seemed to briefly break Yuksom’s tranquillity, but nobody was complaining.

“Who would have imagined this remote town being put on the country’s cultural map? More exciting is to see the mountains, which stand like silent sentinels, come alive with the sound of music,” says 27-year-old Tashi, who works in Bengaluru but made it a point to attend the festival at her native town with her gang of childhood friends.

The helipad at Yuksom was transformed into a stage for the evening performances that youngsters thronged — they kept demanding encores and hung on till the last note was played. Even when it rained midway through the concerts, the crowd pulled out umbrellas and continued enjoying the music.

Bipul Chettri sent the crowd into a frenzy
| Photo Credit:
Teamwork Arts

Rooted music

Salakhala, led by the showmanship of its frontman Karma Tenrab, set the tone with its dynamic mix of genres, including reggae, blues, funk and folk. But the rockstar was definitely Bipul Chettri, and the way he fed off the audience’s energy was incredible. His Travelling Band created a frenzy with its distinct soundscape. Guns from the Countryside and Still Waters, both hard rock bands from Sikkim, kept up the momentum. Though the orchestration of these bands are inspired by the West, their songs (in Nepali) are rooted in local ethos and issues.

“Lyrics are crucial. They help establish an emotional connect. Many of our songs such as ‘Kina Kina’, ‘Kokoley’, and ‘Kosto Samay’ have lines in the local lingo. The name of the band itself is inspired by the local hawkers — at the end of the day, they sell the products as ‘Sala Khala’, inclusive of everything. Another significant element is the inclusion of the region’s folk music. The trick is in striking a balance between ours and what we have derived from overseas,” says Karma, in a brief post-show chat. The influence of Himalayan folk tunes is predominant in Bipul Chettri’s tracks such as ‘Wildfire’ (Dadhelo), a Nepali song on the annual forest fires in the hills. Or, ‘Asaar’ on welcoming rains. Released on SoundCloud, they created a huge buzz for the number of times they were played. His eight-track album ‘Maya’ that sums up simple mountain life can be as endearing to a non-Nepali speaking music lover.

“It’s not easy to get away from what you have grown up on. So the guitar riffs, keyboard lines and drum beats are layered with the sounds of the hills.”

Still Waters band members s first king in Yuksom
| Photo Credit:
Courtesy: Still Waters FB page

The coronation site – where Sikkim’s first king was crowned in 1642
| Photo Credit:
Chitra Swaminathan

East-West flavour

Though music from the North East region reached the mainstream only a few years ago, it adopted the hugely popular East-West flavour much ahead of other parts of the country. Hence, it also boasts supremely talented indie musicians.

The music of the bands from Sikkim are not merely entertaining — their evocative sounds and songs invariably draw from the meditative Buddhist chants and spiritual dance and song traditions. Apparently, the Buddha’s disciples would spontaneously compose verses during his teaching sessions. These are referred to as Gurmo, and were recited at the festival.

Music is also an integral part of the ritualistic masked dance, which was performed by Lamas of the Pemayangtse monastery. Trumpets, drums and cymbals accompanied the powerful moves of the performers dressed in colourful costumes and elaborate masks, symbolising the divine and the devil.

Sikkim’s folk instruments, which are part of both traditional and modern music settings, represent the close link among the cross-border cultures of the eastern Himalayas. This came through in the performance of a naumati (nine instruments) baja band at the festival.

As you leave Yuksom on a dark freezing morning, the chirpy chorus of birds rent the misty air. The sounds of the region are as versatile as its mountains and music.