Historic Nepathya Concert Draws Huge Crowd in Gangtok

Dragon Media News Desk

Nepathya’s concert at Paljor Stadium in Gangtok drew a large crowd on Sunday night, with local residents describing it as one of the biggest musical gatherings ever held in Sikkim.

The audience enthusiastically joined in as the band performed a selection of new and older songs. While the concert was underway, a crowd also gathered outside the stadium, hoping to enter. Authorities halted traffic in the area and deployed additional security personnel to help manage the crowds.

Local resident Uttam Lepcha said that after the concert, people were still singing and dancing as they made their way home. Internationally acclaimed Sikkimese writer Prawal Parajuly said Nepathya had been a frequent topic of conversation across Gangtok in the weeks leading up to the event. He described the concert as a grand success.

The concert had originally been scheduled for Saturday. It was postponed by a day because of the risk of rain linked to Cyclone Arnab, which had developed over the Bay of Bengal.

During the performance, Nepathya lead singer Amrit Gurung recalled Sikkim’s assistance to flood-hit Rasuwa. He expressed hope that the close ties between Nepal and Sikkim would endure through good times and hardship. Gurung also noted that although Nepali is widely spoken in Sikkim, fewer young people are reading and writing the language. He urged people to give equal priority to literacy in Nepali.

People of all ages attended the concert. Gurung said the enthusiasm of older women near the front of the stage moved him. Many concertgoers had travelled from outside Sikkim. Visitors from Lache in Mizoram and Chirang in Bhutan said the performance had become a memorable experience.

Local organiser Positive Vibes said the event’s success followed nine months of preparation. Speaking on behalf of the organisers, Bikesh Kayastha thanked the Sikkim government and its agencies for their support.

Gurung was joined on stage by Dhruva Lama on drums, Subin Shakya on bass guitar, Niraj Gurung on guitar, Shanti Rayamajhi on madal and Dinesh Raj Regmi on keyboards.

After Sikkim, Nepathya is scheduled to perform in two cities in eastern Nepal. The band will play at Itahari Stadium on Wednesday, November 4, followed by a concert in Charali, Jhapa, on November 7. After Tihar, the band is scheduled to perform in Sauraha, Chitwan; Putalibazar, Syangja; Beni, Myagdi; and Belchautara, Tanahun, before embarking on a series of concerts in Australia.