Dohori ( or ), also known as Lok Dohori, is a type of
Nepali folk song usually sung by two teams, one of men and another of women. It is in the form of question and answer where a team sings a question and the opponent replies through an equally lyrical impromptu couplet and vice versa. The term ''dohori'', means 'back and forth' and refers to the exchange of lyrical phrases between the contesting singers.
The song production is collaborative and involves many individuals.
Like all Nepali
folk songs
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has be ...
, dohori originated in the rural areas of
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
and now is sung in both rural and urban settlements and is popular amongst the Nepali speaking diaspora in the UK, US, and
Bahrain
Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...
.
The men and women sit on opposite sides and the goal is to keep improvising until one team runs out of witty answers. The dohori is said to have stretched to seven days and nights during the past.
Dohori is sung on a repeating main phrase of a well-known folk song but the song is adapted as the questions are posed and answered. Teams may also be male vs. male (''bhale dohori''), female vs. female (''pothi dohori'') or in mixed genders (''rally dohori''). Subjects range among love, tragedy, society, politics and development.
See also
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Ratyoli
Ratyauli ( ne, रत्यौली) is a traditional Nepalese event performed in the bride or groom's house in the wedding evening by female relatives and guests. Male are strictly prohibited in the event. In the event, women play games, sing t ...
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Music of Nepal
Music of Nepal refers to the various musical genres played and listened to in Nepal. With more than fifty ethnic groups in Nepal, the country's music is highly diverse. Genres like Tamang Selo, Chyabrung, Dohori, Adhunik Geet, Bhajan, Filmi music, ...
References
{{Reflist
Nepalese music
Nepalese styles of music
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Nepalese musical genres
Culture of Gandaki
Culture of Lumbini
Culture of Bagmati