For over three decades, Kandara Band has been a beacon of Nepali folk-pop music. Rooted deeply in our cultural heritage, we have woven stories of Nepal’s people, landscapes, and struggles into every song. Now, as we reimagine our responsibility as a pioneering legacy band, Kandara is stepping boldly into the realms of Social Impact Entertainment (SIE) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
This evolution marks more than a new chapter in our journey. It is a renewed commitment to harness the power of music and storytelling to inspire positive change, foster community connection, and champion social causes.
Today, we are proud to announce the launch of:
Sangeet, Sahitya, Ra Sangat: A National Cultural Literacy Movement
Kandara still remembers the dark era of Nepal when gunfire echoed through the hills, and fear filled the valleys. But while others carried weapons, we walked with our guitars and sang:
“K pahad, k tarai, k himal, eutai Nepal… hami sabai ki ama hoon, sabai unkai santan.”
Those songs became bridges. But now, something has shifted.
Nepali music, once our shared language, is slowly losing its soul. As digital access increases, so does cultural erosion. We are no longer scattered by war; we are scattered by noise. Screens connect us but rarely bring us closer. Lyrics are forgotten, depth is replaced by speed, and the sangat—the harmony—is missing.
About the Initiative
Sangeet, Sahitya, Ra Sangat is a national initiative led by Kandara, in partnership with provincial and local governments, educational institutions, and cultural organizations. Rooted in Kandara’s core values—authentic Nepali music (Sangeet), literature (Sahitya), and harmony (Sangat)—this initiative seeks to revive Nepali cultural identity using the transformative lens of Social Impact Entertainment.
What Is Social Impact Entertainment (SIE)?
SIE is Kandara’s new creative framework that uses music and storytelling to entertain with purpose. Unlike conventional entertainment, SIE embeds social relevance into its core, tackling real-world issues such as identity, belonging, intergenerational disconnect, and national pride.
Through this lens, Sangeet, Sahitya, Ra Sangat becomes more than an artistic effort—it becomes a tool for nation-building, cultural education, and collective healing.
Why This Initiative Matters Now?
Nepal stands at a cultural crossroads. Today’s popular music often lacks the soul, meaning, and harmony that make a song timeless: thoughtful composition, poetic lyrics, and heartfelt singing, all seamlessly blending as one. Audiences know the melodies but not the writers. They sing the words but forget the stories.
Meanwhile, our school systems still lack culturally grounded, contemporary tools to teach students about Nepali music, literature, and values.
That’s why we need to return.
To what matters. To what lasts.
To what connects us.
Key Objectives
- Preserve and Revive Nepali Music and Literature as Evolving Cultural Heritage
Celebrate and safeguard the depth, diversity, and emotional power of Nepali music and literature by honoring traditional forms while supporting their evolution through modern voices and digital platforms.
- Rebuild Community Through a Nationwide “Baithak” Musical Series
Host a traveling series of intimate musical gatherings, “Baithaks”, that create communal spaces for people to sing, share, and reconnect. These events will help break social silence and foster belonging in an age of migration and isolation. Here, music becomes not just performance—but presence, dialogue, and healing.
- Introduce Students to Nepali Music and Literature through the ‘Saregama’ School Program
Through partnerships with provincial governments and educational partners, we will introduce an interactive curriculum in schools that uses Nepali songs and poems to spark curiosity, pride, and creative exploration. This effort aims to identify and nurture young talent as future cultural ambassadors.
Kandara: From Band to Cultural Thought Leader
For 32 years, Kandara has created music that marries folk roots with poetic expression. From “Hong Kong Pokhara” to “Tagaro Ma Rumal Rakhi”, our songs carry landscapes, heartbreaks, resilience, and joy. During Nepal’s civil war, we chose guitars over guns using music as resistance and healing.
Today, we rise again, not just as a band, but as flag-bearers, cultural mobilizers, and thought leaders, co-leading this movement for cultural literacy, dignity, and unity.
Call to Action
For over three decades, Kandara has carried more than guitars. We’ve taken responsibility for social impact entertainment and a cultural duty to protect what makes us truly Nepali. We’re not here to follow viral trends. After thirty-two years of musical commitment, Kandara is paving its own path, one that helps the next generation understand, embrace, and celebrate authentic Nepali music and literature.
But this stewardship is bigger than Kandara. This mission belongs to the province, to its people, and to the partners who believe in the power of Nepali music, literature, and culture. That’s why we are moving forward hand in hand with government, municipalities, and like-minded organizations to turn this vision into a sustainable national movement.
Together, we won’t just hold on to our songs and stories. We’ll pass them down, where they belong.
We invite the Government of Nepal, provincial governments, cultural institutions, educators, artists, and donors to join us in this national movement.
With Kandara co-leading the vision, Sangeet, Sahitya, and Ra Sangat have the cultural credibility, emotional resonance, and proven artistic track record to engage communities meaningfully and to preserve Nepali culture through music and literature for generations to come.
Be more than a witness, be the voice that leads. Together, we write the story that the future needs.
#SangeetSahityaRaSangat
#KandaraForCulture
For press inquiries, interviews, or partnerships, please contact:
📩 kandaraband@gmail.com
🌐 www.kandaraband.com