In Vyasa Municipality -10, some teachers and students of Shiva Secondary School, along with regular classes, are engaging in playing and teaching the traditional musical instrument “Noumati Baja” (a type of drum).
After providing training to the students and teachers of the school on playing the traditional musical instrument “Noumati Baja” to impart practical education, the school now has around 16 students, 10 teachers, and three parents regularly engaging in practicing “Noumati Baja.”
Starting from August 18, the Baglung-based Noumati Baja trainer Prakash Thapa, after providing training to play instruments like Damaha, Sahnai, Narsingha, Dhoolak, Jhyaali, and Tyaamko Baja, has been engaged in teaching them for about a month.
The training is planned for three months. “We didn’t expect to learn to play so quickly,” said Ashrut Lamichhane, a student of class 10, who plays Tyaamko Baja during the training. “It requires a lot of hard work to extract the melodious tune.”
After training in playing Noumati Baja, teachers of class 7, including Sahil Nepali, Vikram Saphal Bik, and Puran Thapa of class 8, Suman Nepali, and Nim Dorjee Sherpa, along with teachers including Netra Bahadur Darae, Sanjeeta Darae, Shanti Kumari Darae, Rama Darae, Asmita Ale, Bharat Bahadur Shrestha, and Gopal Thapa, along with parents Netra Prasad Poudel, Durga Sapkota, and Chairperson of the School Management Committee, Vikas Rijal, are actively engaging in practicing Noumati Baja.
According to the school’s Principal Chandramani Koirela, the training provided by the school to the students, teachers, and some parents on playing Noumati Baja has been very effective and resulted in increased interest among the participants.
“The training has resulted in positive feedback from all over. It has boosted our morale,” Thapa said, “Playing instruments like Sahani and Narsingha requires a lot more time.”
Prior to this, even though they had provided training to various communities to play Noumati Baja, this is the second time the school has provided training at the school level, as stated by trainer Thapa.
He added that training like this helps preserve the culture. Around Rs. 100,000 has been spent for the training of Noumati Baja at the school, according to the school’s Principal Koirela.
“As Noumati Baja is vanishing, we decided to preserve it from the school itself,” he said, “After this training, students from all over have shown more interest in participating in cultural activities.”
The School Management Committee, with the commitment to teaching Noumati Baja, has decided to include interested students other than those who have completed the training in playing Noumati Baja and teach them.
Apart from Noumati Baja, the school has also engaged dance teachers in providing dance training to the students, as informed by the school’s Principal Koirela.
A cost of about Rs. 100,000 has been incurred for the Noumati Baja training, according to him. “Since Noumati Baja is disappearing, we will teach our students to preserve it,” he said, “The message that students who have learned this instrument should not let it go to waste.”
The School Management Committee’s commitment to preserving Noumati Baja has led to the decision to engage students, teachers, and parents to participate in the protection of Noumati Baja by holding a joint meeting.
The school currently has 212 students and 21 teachers working.
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