''Rājamati'' () is a 1995 film be made in

Nepal Bhasa Newar (), or Newari and known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, is a Sino-Tibetan languages, Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surro ...

. The first Nepal Bhasa movie is '' Silu'', released in 1987. ''Rajamati'' is about a luckless

Newar Newar (; new, नेवार, endonym: Newa; new, नेवा, Pracalit script:) or Nepami, are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and its surrounding areas in Nepal and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisatio ...

girl named Rajamati from

Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...

who gets involved in a series of failed relationships. The story is based on a 200-year-old ballad popular in Newar society. Rajamati was born at Taha Nani in Itum Baha, a historical and sacred neighborhood in central Kathmandu.

Cast

*Hisila Maharjan as Rajamati Shakya *

Shree Krishna Shrestha Shree Krishna Shrestha ( ne, श्रीकृष्ण श्रेष्ठ; April 19, 1967 – August 10, 2014) was a Nepalese actor and producer known for his work in Nepali cinema. One of the most popular and celebrated stars of Nepali ...

as Ratna *Maniraj Lawot *

Madan Krishna Shrestha Madan Krishna Shrestha ( ne, मदन कृष्ण श्रेष्ठ; ) is a Nepali actor, comedian, writer, singer, song writer, director and producer. He is one of the most successful and respected comedians in the Nepali entertainm ...

as Taremam Shakya (Rajamati's father) *

Hari Bansha Acharya Hari Bansha Acharya ( ne, हरिवंश आचार्य) is a Nepalese actor, comedian, director, singer and writer. He is known for his method acting. He is one half of the comedy duo MaHa Jodi along with fellow comedian Madan Krishna S ...

*Ganesh Ram Lachhi * Subhadra Adhikari as Ratna's mother *Rajendra Khadgi as Chikacha

The song

The song "

Rajamati ''Rājamati'' () is a 1995 film be made in Nepal Bhasa. The first Nepal Bhasa movie is '' Silu'', released in 1987. ''Rajamati'' is about a luckless Newar girl named Rajamati from Kathmandu who gets involved in a series of failed relationships. T ...

" is one of the most popular songs of the Newars. It also gained fame because it was played by a guard of honor during the state visit of Prime Minister

Jung Bahadur Maharaja Jung Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, (born Bir Narsingh Kunwar ( ne, वीर नरसिंह कुँवर), 18 June 1817; popularly known as Jung Bahadur Rana (JBR, ne, जङ्गबहादुर राणा)) () belonging to the ...

to England in 1850.Lienhard, Siegfried (1992). ''Songs of Nepal: An Anthology of Nevar Folksongs and Hymns.'' New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas. . Page 42. Maestro

Seturam Shrestha Seturam Shrestha ( ne, सेतुराम श्रेष्ठ) (1891-1941) was a Nepalese musician, singer and composer. He was an important figure in the development of modern music in Nepal at the beginning of the 20th century, and has been ...

made the first recording of the song on

gramophone A phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogu ...

disc in Kolkata in 1908.

Prem Dhoj Pradhan Prem Dhoj Pradhan (6 June 1938 – 6 May 2021) was a Nepalese musician. He was a singer, composer, and regional playback singer. He sang in the two major languages of Nepal: Newari and Nepali. He was also known as the Golden Voice and King of R ...

composed and sang Rajamti song in his own style. Prem Dhoj Pradhan sang Rajamati in various stages and functions for many many years made it very popular. He recorded ''Rajamati'' song in 1962 in Calcutta Indian, on

78 rpm A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English), or simply a record, is an analog signal, analog sound Recording medium, storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove ...

. In the song, a love-struck man tells how much he desires Rajamati, and that he will go to Kashi (

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

) and become an ascetic if he doesn't get to marry her. Then he describes her curly hair, long eyes, fair complexion and moles on the cheek. The song then mentions three sunken waterspouts in Kathmandu, Thahiti uptown, Kwahiti at the southern end and Maruhiti in the center (near

Kathmandu Durbar Square Kathmandu Durbar Square (''Basantapur Durbar Kshetra'') is located in front of the old royal palace of the former Kathmandu Kingdom and is one of three Durbar (royal palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, all of which are UNES ...

); and how Rajamati, who had gone to Maruhiti to fetch water, tripped on a large stone and fell flat on her back. The singer then laments how Rajamati was given away in marriage over her protestations because of a devious matchmaker, and how she ended up in a house without a decorative window.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rajamati Newar Newar-language films 1995 films 1990s musical films