280-kg Nagara drum inaugurated in Baglung

BAGLUNG, July 13: A 280-kg traditional drum known as Nagara in Nepali was inaugurated at Tangram in Kothekhola Rural Municipality-4 in Baglung district recently.

The Rural-Friendly Revolving Fund, which constructed this kettle drum,is said to be the biggest one in the country.

Chairperson of the Fund Hemraj Ashram shared that the giant drum is made up of 222-kg brass and 15-kg iron and its circumference measured 7 feet. 

A team of 50 people including artisans and assistants took 18 days to make the musical instrument. Buffalo’s skin which was needed in the instrument was procured from India.
The artisans namely Rabilal, Jarsingh BK Tamang, Lal Bahadur Kisan, Jag Bahadur and Sar Bahadur BK among others made the Nagara in traditional ‘Aran’ technology, added Chairperson Ashram.

The 6 feet tall Nagara is believed to remain an object of attraction among the tourists and contribute towards preservation of the traditional musical instruments.

The musical instrument built at the cost of Rs 50 million will be played on special occasions and festivities such as Dashain, Chaite Dashain, Saraswati Puja among others, according to the Fund.

Second biggest Nagara is at Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu which has 6.5 metre circumference and built in Malla era.

The fund is also constructing cultural museum for which it has already collected various 25 types of folk musical instruments.