The Gandarbha caste ( ne, गन्धर्व जाति) or Gaine ( ne, गाईने) are a

Dalit Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming ...

community which belongs to the Indo-Aryan ethnic group from the central, hilly region of

Nepal Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...

. They have also been called a "caste of professional musicians" and "itinerant bards." By tradition they make their living by singing Gandarbha Geet or Gaine Geet, a type of folk song. The Gandarbhas traditionally work as travelling musicians and play traditional folk and historical songs. They improvise songs too, incorporating news into them as a service, in return for which they receive donations of food or other things. They use the '' Nepali sarangi'', a type of

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

, as their main musical instrument. The ''sarangi'' has been an iconic musical instrument identified with the Gandarbha people. The instrument has replaced another instrument they played, the

aarbajo The aarbajo () is a Nepali four-string lute used as a rhythm instrument (Tālabājā ()). It is the traditional instrument of the Gandarbha caste of musical performers, and is considered a companion to the Sarangi (Nepal), Nepali sarangi. The Gand ...

, which was larger and "more cumbersome." Due to many caste-based discriminations in

, the government of

legally abolished the caste-system and criminalized any caste-based discrimination, including "

untouchability Untouchability is a form of social institution that legitimises and enforces practices that are discriminatory, humiliating, exclusionary and exploitative against people belonging to certain social groups. Although comparable forms of discrimin ...

" (the ostracism of a specific caste) - in the year 1963

A.D. The terms (AD) and before Christ (BC) are used to label or number years in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. The term is Medieval Latin and means 'in the year of the Lord', but is often presented using "our Lord" instead of "the Lord", ...

Popular Gandarbhas

Jhalak Man Gandarbha Jhalak Man Gandarbha (झलकमान गन्धर्व) (29 July 1935 – 23 November 2003) was one of the most significant Nepali folk singers. He was known for popularising Gaine Geet or Gandarbha Sangeet, a popular type of folk s ...

References

External links

News article about Gandarbhas and their future.Modern Gandarbha plays incorporates public safety message in music on buses.
Ethnic groups in Nepal {{Nepal-stub

Popular Gandarbhas

See also

References

External links