There was a significant number of women and children who came to enjoy the musical show that coincided with the end of Bada Dashain festival. Separate entry gates for women and school children along with a special section and free entry for school students attracted a huge crowd to the delight of the singers on stage.

This was for the second time in this part of the Central Region that singers came together under "SUNDAR SHANTA NEPAL" Travelling Peace Concert to sing for a cause i.e. peace and local Siddhartha High School played host to both the occasions.

The audience did not have any time to relax as the singers including the likes of veterans Meera Rana and Om Bikram Bista, the coyly Sapana shree and Kunti Moktan came one after another with a class of their own while upcoming talents Satya Raj/Swaroop Raj Acharya, lead guitarist cum singer Jyoti Ghimire along with Amrit Gurung-led Nepathya Band gave them a delight of their respective musical recipe. Buds Band of Hetauda added local flavour to the programme.

During the more than two and half hours long programme, the singers sang 25 songs between them including their hit numbers and songs that carried social messages. Local Buds Band gave the perfect start to the show with two numbers including the hit Birsana Sakdina….. and Bihani ko Mirmire.

Then came Swaroop Raj Acharya with the very relevent Jahan Chann Buddha ka Ankha and of course the current chart topper Halla Nagara. He was followed by his sibling Satya Raj who sang his singer father's Mutu Jalirahechha.

"He has maintained his father's name", said Thakur Prasad Timalsena,49, a Post Office worker who came from nearby Chowki Tole. "This song by Bhakta Raj Acharya was my all-time favourite and I think he has sung it equally nice", he added.

Jyoti Ghimire entertained the crowd with his hit —Anjan Timinabana Hai and the fast number Nasalu Timro Ankhale. Sapanshree who already had local fans since the first show three years ago sang Hereko Timilai and a new number Timili Chahaneharuma Ma Pani.

She continued a duet Sun Chandi Bhanda with the Pioneer of Nepali Pop Om Bikram Bista who then sang Ma Maunta Ma and had the young boys and girls dancing to the tunes of Ko ho Tyo.

Majority of the audience including children and women began dancing and waving hands as Kunti Moktan sang three popular numbers Lali Gurans Ajambari, Humla Jumla Janeho and Choli Ramro Palpali Dhakako in succession.

Meera Rana made sure that the audience continued to sing and dance to the tunes of her golden hits Makhmali Cholo, Ke Kholi and Bholi Bhetaunla.

Then the Amrit Gurung-led Nepathya who had been eagerly waited by the local fans including a significant numbers of youths coming all the way from Birgunj took centrestage. Amrit, the lead vocalist lifted the crowd with Mai Nachye, Chekyo Chekyo, Resham and the patriotic numbers Rato Ra Chandra Surya and Gaon Gaon Bata Utha.

"We want a SUNDAR (beautiful) and SHANTA (peaceful) Nepal, come lets' sing together for it as we get nothing by fighting among ourselves", said Amrit Gurung to the crowd while all the singing artists gathered for the closing song of the day, the theme song Sundar Shanta Nepal.

"It (peace concert) will certainly contribute and though for a while people forget all their worries and grievances as the enjoy the music", said Dhiraj Maharajan, who was had come all the way from Birgunj with a group of friends from Birgunj, especially for the concert.

"SUNDAR SHANTA NEPAL" is a traveling peace concert that aims at bringing together singing artists of different genre onto a single platform with the objective of entertaining the masses while also spreading the message of peace and amity.

And as the theme song goes, Sundar Yesai Chhandai Chha Nepal, Sandhai Shanta Rahos (Our country has always been beautiful and let it always be peaceful), this musical initiative is also a celebration of the Beauty of Nepal and the peaceful minds of the Nepali people.

SUNDAR SHANTA NEPAL, the travelling peace concert is organised by Himal Association and managed by event nepa~laya.

Siddhartha High School that provided the ground for the event and Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Makwanpur Branch were the local partners for the event. All proceeds from the ticket sales will be used to support the social initiatives taken by these organisations.

After two successful performances in Birtamode and Hetauda, the Traveling Peace Concert now heads to Ghorahi, Dang for the third performance on October 19 to be followed by Dhangadi (Oct. 21), Tansen, Palpa (Oct. 24), Damauli, Tanahu (Oct. 26) and Charikot (Oct. 28). The Traveling Peace Concert will have a grand finale at Bhaktapur Durbar Square in Bhaktapur on October 30.

For any additional information, please contact:
Basanta Thapa /Arpan Sharma at
057-520124/520191