His fans think he rocks, but Amrit Gurung of Nepathya is probably less rock musician and more fusion artist. He is that rare breed who can manage ethnic responsibilities with global sensibilities. His music could easily fit into the hip new strains of the Buddha Bar and Caf? del Mar school along with the world's best fusionists.

Purists accuse Amrit for Westernising Nepali music with drums, electric guitars and rock-style vocals. But those who feel music, know that no Nepali musician has ever been able to fuse folk elements into rock the way he does. His beat, rhythm and singing are all folk.

Amrit owes his musical success to folk songs, especially to gaines ('Gaines are us', # 181). As a young village boy in Kaski, his first encounter with the gaines set Amrit's young heart on music. Growing up, he began to question the social exclusion of the gaines.

Last year, Amrit went to central Nepal to find the best gaines in the country. They were brought to Kathmandu to participate in the Gandharba Festival last week. For the first time, young gaines had the opportunity to sing before their role models. "The transfer of skills and craft from the old to new generation was heartening to behold," says Amrit.

But Amrit and his friends were saddened by the lack of Kathmandu's well-known singers, musicians and literary figures among the audience. The gaines had travelled all the way from their home villages to share their music in the city, but Kathmandu's musicians did not have time to listen to them.

Amrit originally wanted to be a painter. Two friends, Bhim Pun and Deepak Rana, now part of Nepathya, coaxed him into singing. His first song, Ey Maya Timilai Parkhi Baseko Chhu was an instant hit in 1991, throwing the spotlight on Nepathya. The last hit Resham confirmed his musical talent. Amrit's latest feat was to turn a little known mountain song Bheda ko Oon Jasto into a popular hit.

Folk music is special to Amrit because, he says: "Only by preserving indigenous music can we save nationalism."

(Naresh Newar)