NAYANTARA GURUNG KAKSHAPATI

When Barta Gandharva sings, her voice carries a startling note of struggle that stands at odds with her stature and youthfulness. Her toes barely reach the ground when she sits at the edge of a chair, concentrating on tuning her sarangi.

It has been a long way from home for Barta and her sarangi from her little village in Bhojpur. She gives concerts at BICC and the Garden of Dreams, appears on television and toured in Norway and China this year. Barta spent her childhood travelling from one village to another in Bhojpur, singing and playing the sarangi to make a living.

With an absent father, she helped her mother run a household of five siblings. At age nine, Barta was spotted at Tumlingtar airport by human rights activist Gopal Siwakoti 'Chintan' who paid for her education in Kathmandu. Then, Barta joined the Nepal Music Center where she began formal training in music.

Compared by many to Aruna Lama, Barta's voice is poignant yet uplifting. Even if the audience doesn't understand the words, her voice gives a sense of survival and hope. "Barta has fans in Europe." says Shyam Nepali, a popular Sarangi player and one of Barta's gurus at Nepal Music Center.

Barta is now preparing to enter the next stage in her life. She needs to find a place to live and a means to continue her education. But her exceptional gift resonates, and her quiet strength helps her create and draw on opportunities when they arise. Her genius is apparent to those who pause to listen.

Barta in concert
Saturday, 20 September, 5PM
Patan Museum
Tickets Rs 300