Creating Melodies

In his two decade long career Rai has been established as a popular music director cum singer of Nepal

By THAKUR AMGAI

As a young lad played, sang and danced with friends in the hills of Buipa, Khotang an eastern Nepalese district in the late 20s (Bikram Era), he had little idea that all Nepalese would know him as a singer and a music director one day. However, he had a deep-rooted dream – to sing a song at Radio Nepal .

Rai : A spiring higher

With these aspirations Rai headed for capital Kathmandu after passing high school in 2045 B.S. After meticulously learning music for two years, he got an opportunity to sing a song in Radio Nepal . He recorded a duet ‘Kasam Nakhau Tadha Hune’ with Bimala Rai. In the days, when recording studios were not as abundant as they are today, Rai, like other singers had the compulsion to wait till next year to record another song.

“To use the free time, I started composing music for other songs,” said Rai. He mingled with poet Shrawan Mukarung and started composing music in his songs. It was during these times that the evergreen hits like ‘Bato Here Hunchha Aama, Ma Ta Aundaichhu’, ‘Timi Tare Bhir, Ma Ta Lahara’ sung by Sunita Subba, ‘Dhoka Diyau Timile, Kalejoma Ghau Lagyo’ sung by Sukmit Gurung, among others were created.

Rai has a melodious voice and the songs he has sung have been received well by the audience. However, given the wide popularity of the songs he has composed music for, a larger mass knows him as the music director ‘Shanti Ram Rai’. “I focused in composing music in the latter years, as my music composition started becoming popular and the demand for my music composition grew,” said Rai.

He has however not given up singing completely. He released an album ‘Aagaman’ with modern song he sung about three years ago.

Rai had released his solo album of modern songs ‘Aayam’ in 2053 B.S. “This was the happiest moment in my music career,” said Rai. “When I released my first album I felt that I could then survive in the music industry.”

In the subsequent years, Rai has released more albums including ‘Mayajal’, ‘Pardeshi’, ‘Mini Busaima’, ‘Sombare Hataima’, ‘Manchheka Geetharu’, ‘Sadhana 59’ and ‘Musukkai Hansera’. He has also composed music for various feature films like ‘Manai Ta Ho’. Altogether he has given music to more than 400 songs including modern songs, folk songs, and child songs.

In addition to becoming a singer and a music director Rai has also been engaged in writing. He edited ‘Khotang Souvenir 2057’ and written a musical biography ‘My fifteen years’.

Merely in late thirties, Rai has been honored and awarded with several awards. He bagged the Best Musician Award in the Yugkabi National Music Contest 2059, Environment National Music Contest 2051. He has won the ‘Youth Outstanding Award’ three times in 2056, 2058, and 2060.

Rai is equally active in social organizations. He has helped the youths of Khotang to develop their musical talent and the local people at various times of crisis.

Rai is currently the general secretary of the Nepal Musical Association. He advocates for the preservation of original Nepali songs. “It is not a good practice to copy and remix original songs,” he said. “I urge all patrons of Nepali music to distinguish between the original and the remixed songs and discourage such songs by purchasing and listening to original songs.”