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Ayeko Hami (Deusi Re!)
| FROM ISSUE # 107 (November 2004) | IN THIS ISSUE | |||
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Deusi and Bhailo have undergone a lot of changes over the generations but perhaps the most in the last 15 years. Once upon a time there were groups of people celebrating with just madals this has transformed into bands with full electric sets and now the situation of the country is such that one wonders what this year's celebrations will be like. "I remember we used to distribute cards saying we would come and then the whole group with the electric set would go there on a pick up," recalls Nima Rumba of his younger days. As part of our Tihar celebrations, WAVE's Esha Manandhar caught up with singers and musicians to recount their memories of the festivities from yesteryears. WAVE: What do you remember the most from your Deusi days? Deep Shrestha (Dharan): I don't remember much from my Deusi days as a kid, but when I was in school I started singing songs. I played Deusi with a group and we were quite popular. Usually when we performed, several families would gather together and watch us sing. It was a lot of fun. Bidhan (Inarwa): My Deusi days as a kid were a lot of fun. My friends and I would get together and go out, usually performing songs that were popular at the time. And it was all acoustic instruments of course, mostly guitars, congo, madals. WAVE: What difference do you find in the Deusi then and now? Amrit Gurung: When I played Deusi during my younger days, there were no social discriminations. People from all castes played Deusi together, be it Gurung, Magar or Tamamg. We have lost a lot of that over the years. Robin: When I came to Kathmandu around nine years ago, there were no problems. People didn't have to worry about staying out late. But now all that has changed. People are not comfortable about Deusi anymore. It feels like they are insecure, not very comfortable about the whole Dasain and Tihar in their hearts and minds. Bidhan: These days Deusi isn't really Deusi. You can hear people singing every kind of music- Hindi songs, loud music. Sure we must accept changes but I personally feel that it would be better if we sing Deusi like in the older times, more festive.
Amrit Gurung (Nepathya, Pokhara): They were fantastic. I was born in a village in Pokhara. We used to play Deusi in groups, usually playing acoustic instruments like madals, sarangi, guitars. Deusi was always celebrated very culturally, usually staying up the whole night and performing in different places with and for people from every kind of ethnic or cultural background. Though Deusi is played for two to three nights, we'd carry on playing for five to seven nights and we'd donate the money we collected from performing to a blood bank. 
Robin (Hong Kong/ Singapore): Well, I used to live in Hong Kong and Singapore when I was a kid, so we didn't play much Deusi there, also because it was an army camp. I studied in a school where the majority of students were white. But when we played Deusi, we played the guitar with amp and stuff like that. 
Rubin (Kirtipur): Tihar used to be a lot of fun. We'd form a band and play Deusi, in clubs too. 
Bhailini ayi aagana, gunyo cholo magana
WAVE: How did u play Bhailo when you were young?
Archana Bastola: When I was young, we used to go in groups of two or four, usually singing the Bhailo song in our neighborhood. 
Abhaya Subba: When I was young, Bhailo was more about appreciating the song, its beat and melody. I went to play Bhailo till I was eight years old with my two sisters. Then we'd gather other kids, we did a lot of singing and dancing wearing costumes which used to be a lot of fun.
Shubani Moktan: In our earlier days of Bhailo, we would usually just sing and dance but later we started using music instruments as well.
Nalina Chitrakar: Though I always loved the idea of playing Bhailo, I didn't when I was young.
WAVE: Do you think the concept of playing Bhailo has changed these days?
Archana Bastola: It's changed a lot. These days you can find a lot of girls going to play Bhailo, like a whole orchestra. I think it has also become more money oriented.
Abhaya Subba: When I was in Darjeeling, Bhailo was a way of socializing with people. But when I moved to Kathmandu seven years back, I saw that the girls played Bhailo in a very different way. It felt like it was a quick money making thing, maybe because Kathmandu is such a big city compared to Darjeeling, the socializing aspect wasn't there.
Shubani Moktan: There's been a big difference in the way people play Deusi and Bhailo. It has transformed to heavy instrumentation and a lot of loud music now. 
Nalina Chitrakar: I think Deusi and Bhailo is a way of maintaining our culture but these days, due to modernization the whole concept has changed. When we played Bhailo, we used madals and sarangis and sang traditional songs related to tihar. The way of playing Deusi and Bhailo is slowly degrading.
WAVE: What plans do you have for this tihar?
Archana Bastola: Well, I'll be at home for most parts. I like staying at home during the festive season.
Abhaya Subba: I like to stay home and spend time with my family when I have holidays
Shubani Moktan: I am looking forward to people coming to our house for Deusi and Bhailo.
Nalina Chitrakar: I haven't quite decided yet. Maybe I'll be doing a few shows, but I don't have any special plans as such.