Entertainment
The National Folk and Dohori Song Academy of Nepal begins its ninth national convention and silver jubilee programme in Bardibas, Mahottari, on Thursday, October 8. The three day gathering is scheduled to run through October 10 at Gauridanda Open Ground. The Rising Nepal reported the confirmed dates and venue on October 4, while OnlineKhabar published additional preparation details from the academy’s press briefing. The event marks the first time the national convention has been held in Madhesh Province.
Organisers expect around 1,500 delegates and observers from across Nepal. Central chairperson Rita Thapa Magar said the convention will review the academy’s 25 year institutional journey and help determine its future direction. The programme carries the slogan, ‘Preservation of Folk Culture, Respect for Creators, Promotion of New Talent.’ Policy, organisational programmes and future priorities are scheduled for discussion, and delegates are also expected to elect a new leadership team during the convention.
The academy announced that Madhesh Province Chief Minister Krishnaprasad Yadav would attend the opening as chief guest, alongside provincial and local government representatives, veteran artists, creators, media professionals, business representatives and folk culture supporters. The silver jubilee programme is also expected to honour senior creators and others who contributed to the institution’s development. These are advance programme details. Attendance and honours should be confirmed from the completed ceremony before being reported as outcomes.
The academy traces its formal journey to Ashwin 2057, when an ad hoc committee was formed in Arun Khola, Nawalparasi, under senior folk and dohori singer and creator Ambar Birahi Gurung. It now says its network reaches all seven provinces, 70 districts, the Kathmandu Valley and several countries. OnlineKhabar reported roughly 4,500 lifetime members within a wider membership base, while The Rising Nepal used a broader figure of about 50,000 members. Those figures appear to describe different membership measures and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Accommodation had been arranged in Bardibas for about 1,000 participants before the opening. Organisers said remaining delegates would be placed in nearby centres, with Dhalkebar among the locations mentioned in both reports. The scale of that logistical plan shows that the gathering is a national institutional meeting as well as a cultural event. Visitors who are not registered delegates should verify public access, programme times and transport arrangements because the reports do not publish a complete schedule for each day.
The convention’s cultural importance comes from the breadth of traditions represented by the academy. The Rising Nepal listed forms including Deuda, Roila, Sorathi, Maruni, Teej, Asare, Jhyau, Salaijo, Kauda, Selo, Bhajan, Malashree and Dohori. Each is tied to particular communities, occasions, languages or performance practices. The academy argues that technology and social media can expand the reach of folk music, but that creators and institutions must still protect original melodies, language and cultural context as songs move through new platforms.
Holding the convention in Madhesh creates an opportunity for exchange between folk traditions from different parts of Nepal and for stronger institutional ties with Madhesh’s own musical culture. That potential is analysis rather than a guaranteed result. Useful post event measures will include the policies adopted, the leadership elected, the creators recognised and any concrete preservation or training initiatives announced. The confirmed information for audiences is that the convention runs from October 8 to 10 at Gauridanda Open Ground in Bardibas as the academy marks 25 years of institutional work.
Source publication date: 2026-10-04. Event or reporting period: 2026-10-08 to 2026-10-10.
Sources:The Rising Nepal · OnlineKhabar
Source: GPT News Feed
