From the Nepali press

Sajana Baral in Himal Khabarpatrika

Barta Gandharva Barta Gandharva

Barta Gandharva's petite figure belies her powerful singing and sarangi playing skills. A native of Bhojpur, Barta first learnt to play the instrument from her mother, with whom she travelled around villages, trying to earn a living.

Today, the 27-year-old performs at concerts, rubs shoulders with popular bands like Kutumba, but says making a living is as difficult as it was then.

“Wherever I go, people ask me if I can play the guitar or the keyboard. Sarangi is not much appreciated,” says Barta who is a member of an all-female Nepali folk band, Shree Tara.

Barta studied music at Lalit Kala Campus and sarangi at Nepal Music Centre on scholarship. She now teaches at  Nepal Sangeet Vidyalaya. She also taught sarangi to students at Ani Choyying Drolma’s Arya Tara School for seven years before the lessons were cancelled by the management citing lack of funds.

She feels that since sarangi is mainly being used for fusion music the significance of traditional artists like her has decreased. In this scenario, she thinks grooming a newer generation of female musicians is near to impossible. "Maybe because they see no future in this field even good students drop out. It is sad when this happens," she says.

Provided an opportunity Barta wants to pursue a graduate degree in singing. But given the circumstances she laughs at her own desire. She says, "Nothing has happened even with hard work. What will I achieve with desires?"

Currently, Barta is working on releasing an album, most of which she composed in Norway.