SUNDAR SHANTA NEPAL
Shanti Sangeet Yatra - Travelling Peace Concert 2059

This travelling concert was designed to be the biggest among tours in Nepal. Going by the size of the audience it accumulated in 6 venues, it is undoubtedly the biggest yet. It is perhaps among the largest spontaneous public gatherings of all times. Sundar Shanta Nepal (Shanti Sangeet Yatra – Travelling Peace Concert 2059) enjoyed a total audience of about 150,000 people directly at the venues and another few millions through live radio broadcasts - way surpassing its original target of 60,000 people.

A nationwide concert travelling east to west, the tour stopped in a city each in all 5 development regions and one in the capital valley. In all venues, it earned more than expected share of public participation, comprising of all sexes, classes and ages.

Sundar Shanta Nepal featured prominent singers and musicians from different genres of Nepali music. Songs performed were aadhunik (modern), Pop, lok (folk) and instrumental, catering to the audiences of various musical preferences.

The traveling concert was one of the biggest ever also in terms of the logistics – 9 singers, 17 musicians, a sizeable crew of sound, light and stage technicians and professionals, and the management team – making it a total of 70 people traveling in three trucks, one bus and a van. There were two sets of stage platforms and backdrop panels, 52 pieces of speakers, mixers and all the sound and light equipment to go with it.

Organised with the theme of peace, the concert was well received largely because of the same reason. In place like Dang, where public movement was restricted till recently because of the political unrest and the late evening curfew, the large turnout – largest among all the concerts of the tour - only proved public’s eagerness for peace. The tour provided the people with an opportunity to come out in the open to celebrate the newly established ceasefire between the Maoist and the government forces.

A musical undertaking of this magnitude and quality has never been organised before. With whatever shortcomings it had, it is still the most professionally organised tour in Nepal. It set the standard for the future concert tours.

Objective of the tour
Sundar Shanta Nepal celebrated peace through music and did so in a grand manner. At a time when the people needed an occasion to come out openly after a long depression through the times of domestic violence, the tour provided them with the music. The objective of the tour “to celebrate peace through music, to spread the message of peace, amity, harmony and goodwill through music” was well observed. Sundar Shanta Nepal managed to gather an unprecedented number of people - wherever it stopped, irrespective of their political inclinations - for a three hour concert, where they enjoyed the music without any hint of disorder, which otherwise is generally considered common in outdoor concerts.

The Theme Song
As part of complete structuring, a theme song for the tour was created. The song ‘Maan Hos Nepal ko’ was written by poet Shambhu Prashad Dhungyal some 80 years ago. The lyric of the song however is as relevant at present as ever. The song, exclusively recorded for the tour, was composed by Deep Shrestha and sung by all the singers of the tour. It was performed as a group song by all the artists in all the concerts in the tour, and was also used in radio and television advertisements.

Artists Involved:
Deep Shrestha, Kunti Moktan, Sukmit Gurung, Ram Thapa, Sapana Shree, Prem Rana Autari and Nepathya.

Conclusion
Music heals. Sundar Shanta Nepal (Shanti Sangeet Yatra or Travelling Peace) was organised at the time when the people of Nepal needed just the kind of relief. Years of political unrest and domestic violence had taken its toll on economic and social development, casting a shadow of frustration over the populace. Sundar Shanta Nepal was able to plant a seed of hope in them with music. And people responded in overwhelming numbers.