Panche and Naumati Baja

The Panchai and Naumati baja are auspicious orchestra in the Nepali community who have an integral role to play during religious ceremonies.

Panche Baja consists of five musical instruments. 'Panchai' means Five and Baja means musical instrument. The players of these instruments consider these to be a symbol of the five basic elements of life, ‘ Pach tatwa’ - Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether.

Tyamko (small kettle drum) represents earth as its beat resonates the way people walk on the ground. The Damaha (kettle drum) represents water as inside the bamboo vessel is some water which adds some tune to the sound. The Jhurma (cymbals) made from bronze represents fire as it resembles the grinding of stones used to made fire. Likewise the Dholaki (two sided drum) with its hollow space represents wind. And finally, the Narsingha, Sanai and Karnal, all pipe instruments represent the element sky.

Some musicians also view it as a symbol for the the five most important metals known to mankind ‘Pach Dhatu’ Five Metals - Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead and Tin.

The history of Panche and Naumati Baja cannot be clearly ascertained as there are no historical facts suggesting its origination. Carol Tingey in her book “Heartbeat of Nepal: The Pancai Baja”, claims that Panche Baja probably arrived in Nepal with the Rajput refugees during the fourteenth century. Kitab al-aghani (Book of Songs) written by Al-Isfahani lists nauba, naubat, tabl khana, and naqqara khana as the ensembles of several musical instruments. The most near to Panche Baja, however, is Tabl-khana which comprised shawms (resembling Sanhai), long straight natural trumpets (resembling Karnal), double-headed drums resembling Dholaki), large and small kettledrums (resembling Damaha and Tyamko) and cymbals (resembling Jhyali and Jhyamta). The Tabl-khana was carried to India by Muslim invaders from the Middle-East who established the Delhi Sultanate in the twelfth century. This musical band of the Sultanate court was later adopted by the native Rajputs of India. When the Rajputs migrated to Nepal, they carried the improvised Tabl-khana to Nepal, which later developed as Panche Baja and became a common feature in Nepalese villages.

The Panche and Naumati Baja forms and important aspect of Hindu population in rural parts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim and Himachal. It adds a strong flavour to the auspicious celebrations and social events, most popular being wedding ceremonies. Even though marriage processions in the town of Darjeeling would often be accompanied by the orchestra, these days the instruments can rarely be spotted in the town. Panche and Naumati Baja are also played in social occasions like Bratabandha (sacred thread wearing ceremony), Anna Prashan (rice feeding ceremony), Nawrana (naming ceremony) and others. Likewise, Panche Baja is also performed at religious sites to mark different festivals like Dashain, Tihar, New Year, Vivah Panchami, Maghe Sankranti, Ropain Jatra, and other celebrations. In later years, Panche Baja is also used to lead different processions aimed at generating awareness of local people against several social issues.

The Panche and Naumati baja band consists of a variety of instruments - drums, wind, cymbals. Apart from these major instruments, the Panche Baja Family can be expanded by adding a number of more instruments as per the geographical variations. On big occasions, people prefer Naumati Baja, literally 'nine instruments', to Panche Baja. Two Sanhais, two Damahas, one Tyamko, one Dholaki, Jhyali and a pair of Narsingha or Karnal thus completing the Naumati Baja.

The Panche and Naumati Baja is played exclusively by the Damai community. Scholars believe that the term ‘Damai’ originated from ‘Damaha’ one of the parts of the Panche and Nuamati orchestra suggesting a strong association between instrument and the players identity. Most often, the Damais have a supplementary profession apart from playing the Panche Baja. Tailoring forms the most common supplementary profession.

Parts of the Panche Baja ensemble:

1. Narsingha (a long, C-shaped trumpet)

2. Shehnai (a folk oboe)

3. Damaha (large kettledrum)

4. Karnal (a wide-mouthed, straight trumpet

5. Jhyali (cymbals) OR Dholak (drums)

Parts of the Naumati Baja ensemble:

1. Dholaki - 1

2. Tyāmkī - 1

3. Damāhā - 2

4. Śahanāī - 2

5. Jhyālī - 1

6. Narsinga - 2

Led by the Karnal or Narisngha players, the Panche Baja troupe adds strong charm to the marriage processions. When the procession reaches the bride’s house, the religious procedures are carried out at a sacred altar amidst the melody of Panche Baja.

Even though it is the same set of instruments, the troupe has different melodies based on the religious activities at the sacred altar. However, the popular melodies of the panache baja are that of popular folk songs. With people’s rapid thrust for modernisation, Panche Baja seems to be losing its color in urban areas of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Sikkim and Nepal where it has become a rare sight. Among hundreds of marriage ceremonies organized every month in urban areas, only a handful of them uses Panche Baja. In recent years, people in urban areas, the popular ensemble is being rapidly replaced by brass bands, dressed in attractive uniforms: coat, hat, pants, and boots; to the Panche Baja troupe. The popularity of brass bands is not limited only to urban areas, it has also entered some rural areas where people are preferring it to Panche Baja.

With a decline in its popularity, the future of Panche and Naumati Baja is becoming uncertain in Nepal. To add more woes, the new generation of the Damai community is also not interested in Panche Baja because they, too, are attracted to the finely dressed brass bands. Likewise, the indigenous art of producing Panche Baja instruments could also disappear as such instruments are produced at an individual level, not at factories.

Instruments of the Naumati and Panche Baja Ensemble

1. Dholaki - Early to mid-20th century

Hung from the neck or shoulder, the smaller head (pothi – ‘hen’) of the internally conical dholaki is struck with the hand while the larger head (bhāle – ‘cock’) is beaten with a stick (gajo). Local traditions regulate the use of this drum but four basic strokes and several dampening techniques are used to produce lively rhythmic patterns. Collected in Salyān, Rāptī District, Nepal.

2. Tyāmkī - 19th century

Variously made of wood, copper or earthenware according to regional taste, these wooden kettledrums a western Nepali tradition. Although a more secondary instrument in the ensemble the damāi note it as the primordial instrument in their mythology. Collected in Salyān, Rāptī district, Nepal.

3. Damāhā - 19th century

In western Nepal, where the pañcai bājā is fundamentally a drumming tradition, the use of 36 damāhā is common. A long strap hanging from the player’s neck positions the drum in front of the player who strikes it with angled or straight sticks depending on local tradition. Played with one, or in ritual contexts, with two sticks, the damāhā serves as a bass drum for the ensemble. The thick head must remain wet, both inside and out for the proper sound. Because the maker’s feet touch the drum during its manufacture (an insult to the deity for whom it is played) an apology pūjā of invocations and offerings must be performed to appease the deity. Collected in Salyān, Rāptī district, Nepal

4. Śahanāī - 19th century

Unlike the straight tubes of related double-reed instruments found in other Asian countries, this melodic instrument has a curved conical bore. To achieve the curve, the wood body (agli) is cut in two longitudinal halves that are joined together with a glue of heated sugar-cane juice and secured with cane rings. Most Nepali musicians employ circular breathing to facilitate a continuous melodic line of music or to provide a constant drone.

5. Jhyālī (Jhāmta)- 19th century

These very thin-walled cymbals may be made of brass or of an alloy of five metals (pañca dhātu): brass, copper, silver, zinc and gold. Like other Central and East Asian cymbals, these are held horizontally and the stroked across each other to produce a distinct sustained chattering sound. Collected in Salyān, Rāptī district, Nepal.

6. Narsinga - 19th century

A shallow bowl-shaped mouthpiece is consistent among the conical natural trumpets called narsinga in Nepal. However, the degree of curvature and length changes from region to region. In West Nepal, they are shorter and have less of a curve, are used with the karnal, and occasionally with massed damaha. In eastern Nepal, the Gorkha musicans have a very sophisticated playing technique that employs circular breathing and a type of flutter tonguing.

Collected in Kalikot, Karnali District, Nepal. 19th cent.