We sat down for a short interview with him… imagine the delight, when he started answering them in the voice of different actors

Name: Sidhant Lama 
Mother: Smt. Jyoti Lama
Father: Shri. Raju Lama 
School: Modern High School 

TheDC. What inspired you to want to become a mimicry artist?
Sidhant: Watching Bollywood films was the biggest inspiration for me to Mimic them. I was amazed by the versatility of our actors, their voice ranges and their mannerisms and pecularisms so much so that I wanted to imitate them. As they say, “imitation is the greatest form of flattery”, I think by mimicking them, I am paying all of them a tribute.

TheDC: Were your family supportive of your decision?
Sidhant: Yes, thankfully my family have been very encouraging and is very supportive to me in this field.

TheDC; How did you prepare? What were the hurdles, how did you overcome then?
Sidhant: I prepare myself for imitating others by watching movies and by watching other mimicry artist from our country. I didn’t experience much hurdles except for when I was in a competition, and I was out after being in 10th position. That inspired me to keep on pushing myself and perfecting my art.

TheDC. Where do you see yourself, five years from today?
Sidhant: I see improvement in myself as a mimicry artist, my contents, my writing skills, and my imitating skills. I hope that people across the country will know me for my mimicry skills by then.

TheDC: What suggestions would you give those who want to follow on your footsteps?
Sidhant: If someone wants to follow on my footsteps or is already starting to mimic others, I would suggest them to learn by watching movies, work hard on your skills, and work even harder in your content. There is no short-cut to success, so practice-practice-practice every opportunity you get.

We are amazed by this uniquely talented young man and we wish him luck. We hope others too are inspired by him and will learn to follow their passion. With dedication, sincerity and hard-work, nothing is impossible.

You can contact him at: : (+91) 8972038793
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sidhant.lama.7

The post Sidhant Lama – Voicing Delight appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

Here’s their story

The Band

 Vocals: Sherab Namgyal Bhutia 
 Guitars: Regan Rai 
 Bass: Avyuday Naween Khaling 
 Keyboards: Mishael Dan Pradhan 
 Drums: Ashish Shrestha 

TheDC: Who are the “Educators”? What brought you guys together?

Educators: It is the love for music and common interest that brought all of us under the same roof “Educators”. We work together as Teachers at the Turnbull H.S. School we named ourselves as EDUCATORS. Our Drummer Ashish Shreshta completed his schooling from Turnbull H.S. School, and is now in college.

To put it formally, “Educators” are a Nepali rock band formed in 2018. The band is influenced by rock and the new wave of Nepali heavy metal and soft rock music. We like to experiment with music by blending mainstream traditional concepts with rock/soft rock genres.

TheDC: Have you guys performed anywhere?

Educators: On October 20 of 2018, we debuted at GDNS hall, with some renowned bands of Darjeeling. From there the journey started and since then we have worked on the creation of our originals. SAMAY, which is our debut single, was released on Sunday the 23rd May 2021.

TheDC: Tell us more about “Samay”

Educators: “SAMAY,” reminds us how our life sways between two extremes.  “Happiness and Sadness”, “Pleasure and Pain”‘ are two sides of our life, ‘Thinking’ is an imaginary wheel that processes, “Pleasure and Pain”, we experience both, but in the process, the imaginary thinking wheel, which grows bigger the more we think, should not ruin our life. Don’t let yourself come under the pressure of your Thinking Wheel and lay waste to your life. Love and live your life to the fullest. Life is so uncertain so make the most of it. Live, love, motivate your loved ones, stay happy, it is with this message we created this song” says lyricist and the band frontman Sherab.

TheDC: What next, what’s cooking?

Educators: We are more inclined to work on our original compositions, rather than doing covers. There is a lot more coming, next, we have “NAATA” a soft rock song, “JHUKDAINA GORKHA” with more cultural taste, “SUNSAAN CHA” and a lot more…

Besides imparting quality education, we would like to share our message of love to bring about unity among the people of Darjeeling hills, through music…

 “Educators” – the profile

Sherab Namgyal

Rinzing Namgyal Bhutia aka Sherab Namgyal is the Frontman of the band. He is the Lead Vocalist, Song writer and Composer. Originally from Sukay Pokhari, Sherab is not a trained singer but was part of the Choir at St. Augustine’s School (Kalimpong) since childhood, and later at SUMI (Kalimpong) where he used to sing tenor and bass under vocal coaches, Late Mr. Chandra Mohan Ghising (SAS), and Mr. Sanjay Samuel Rai (SUMI).

Previously, he had fronted a few short-lived bands like “Aatma”, “Shristi” from Sukay Pokhari. Performed at Gorkha Rocks buildup shows and also given invitational performance at Sikkim Manipal University.

He has written and composed songs Aandakarma, Maan, Samay, Jatitwa (lyrics Suresh Mukhia), and is now the songwriter and lead vocals at EDUCATORS. His previous recordings include songs in Gorkha Rocks – Volume II & III, and Noise Volume I (a rock songs compilation).

Avyuday Naween Khaling

Avyuday Naween Khaling is the bassist for the band. He is interested in all genres of music with a further incline towards Classic rock, Heavy metal, funk, and blues. He learned to pick up the bass guitar listening to bands like Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Metallica, and famous Darjeelingey bands like Mantra and Reincarnation.

“I was never into the public music scene until Educators happened, where all of us blended as a band and being colleagues, we have the utmost respect for each other. Our passion for music binds us together” says he.

Regan Rai

Regan Rai is the lead guitarist and music composer. Born and raised in Darjeeling, Regan is a talented guitarist. He is an innovative and technically gifted guitarist. He was influenced as a guitarist by the likes of Paul Gilbert, John Petrucci, Marty Friedman. His solos are a big part of what gives the song its enduring appeal.

Ashish Pradhan

Ashish Pradhan the drummer for the band is a former student of Turnbull Higher Secondary School. His brilliant drumming provides the rhythmical base for the band. Encouraged and assisted by his friends he started drumming in 2014. As a drummer, he got influenced by Vinnie Paul, Chris Adler, etc. His career started with his creativity and he has also made some appearances with other bands like “Left Behind” and “Unwise Obligation.”

Mishael Pradhan

Mishael Pradhan is the Keyboard player. He has been playing piano and keyboard since high school. He currently teaches music at Elim Melody Academy and is a teacher at Turnbull HS school.

Do Like, Share and Subscribe.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYPxoFyRjnNBXY44acdSaLQ

Follow Them At
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/educatorsmusic2018/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/educ.atorsofficial/
Regan Rai: https://www.facebook.com/regan.rai.9
Sherab Namgyal Bhutia: https://www.facebook.com/sherabnamgyal.bhutia
Ashish Pradhan: https://www.facebook.com/ashish.pradhan.54
Mishael Pradhan: https://www.facebook.com/mishael.pradhan
Avyuday Naween Khaling: https://www.facebook.com/avyuday.naween.shuvra.khaling

The post “Educators” – Portrait of a Band appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

The Rock & Roll and Hard Rock scene set by amazing bands such as The Hillians, Extreme Moderation, Turquoise and Jade, The Diamonds, Prism, Forbidden Fruit, Magnum Opus, Pralay was later followed by bands like Rusty Nails, the US Band (where US is short for Unity of Souls) among others, makes Darjeeling the leading light of Rock music in India. Following on the footsteps of these greats, is an up and coming band from our hills “The Invasion”.

When Chhogel Sherpa Holunga first sent us their single BLACK FLAG our Music editor couldn’t get around to listening to it right away, but once he did, he was hooked and he has been playing it all day long. “Highly Invasive” is what our music editor describes this amazingly well written, well composed, well-edited and mixed number, with guitar riffs that will compete with the best in India and the world.

The Invasion

Guitar: Swarnim Rai
Guitar and Vocals: Sangey Wangdi Bhutia
Bass: Aaron Gaurav Gazmer
Drums: Chhogel Sherpa Holunga
Mixing: Anuj Pradhan (Sacred heart workstation)

We sat down for a short chat with them.

TheDC: Who are “The Invasion”, what brought you guys together?

TI: We are a recently formed The Invasion, but we have known to each other from very long time. The music taste of all the members which is Rock /Hard Rock is what brought us together

TheDC: Have you guys performed anywhere?

TI: We haven’t performed anywhere as a Band right now, but all the members of our band have performed in various platforms like IITs, IIMs, Pub

TheDC: So what’s cooking right now?

TI: Right now we are focusing on band’s first EP (extended play) and later on we want to go for contests like Hornbill, Shirock Music Contests, and all other rock contest in India and as well as outside and lastly we want to do gigs all across the world.

Also our second song Streets is likely to be released next month for which Mixing/Mastering is done by Anuj Pradhan at Sacred Heart Audio Workstation.

TheDC: Tell us about your song Black Flag? Why is the flag black?

TI: It’s a song of taking a stand against a corrupt and dishonest system and people in power. It is a song for the youth to speak out against tyranny, nepotism, corruption and domination. The flag is BLACK because it’s the flag of protest.

Indeed it is, and we are thrilled to be the 1^st platform to publish the Interview of The Invasion, which we are sure will go a long way in rewriting rock history in our hills and the nation.

BLACK FLAG LYRICS

Rise up we got a battle to win

Against a system full of sins

Tyrant rulers all the way

Stealing your rights everyday

Are we just some livestock

They treat us like worthless mules

They are filled upto the brim

By stealing from their kin

Raise the black flag

united we stand against this tyrant system

we will prevail

Your sacrifices go in vain

You’re fighting a war without a name

Innocent’s blood in your hands

will torment you beyond the grave.

So cmon my brothers

remember the fallen ones

we will fight until the end

till our dying breathe

Raise the black flag

united we stand

against the tyrant system

we will prevail

We wish “The Invasion” good luck in their quest and we look forward to publishing their second number too.

The post PORTRAIT OF A BAND: The Invasion appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

This song was screened in the “save Teesta and Rangeet” program organised by the Paila and warnamala family on 14th and 15th September.

The students who were involved in the films

Director – Megha Theeng
Asst Director – Rahul Syangdan and Phuden Sherpa
Art – Ananya De
Cinematographer- Yaksang Yonzon
Editing – Negacy Angom
Lighting – Pemsang Tamang
Prop Manager – Aditi Gupta, Juben Lepcha, Prashant Chettri and Prajwal Chettri

All students from 3rd Semester, Mass Communication Dept, St Joseph’s College, Darjeeling.

The post TEESTA – Through the Lens of St Joseph’s College, Mass Communication Department appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

As the title indicates, Appa dwells on the role of fathers, how they bring up their kids becomes a deciding factor in their children’s life. Some audience craves conflict and drama, while others seek inspirational uplift. However, this movie (Appa) is a balanced mixture of both drama and inspirational based films. It’s a decent addition to the Kollywood movies that abruptly ends where the first-act break typically occurs. (since for once, those tiresome cliche’s don’t seem to apply.) Instead, this movie’s message is all about inspiration and forgiveness, which should satisfy a decent contingent of the movie-going public grateful for a wholesome story.

Appa is a dramatic story on the surface. The concept of the time is so rigidly ingrained—from daily routines to monthly bills to milestone birthdays, that even suggesting it might not exist can be disorienting. The songs, not any song but the ‘Appa’ has the best selling songs in the movie with the starting song bring filmed at Sandhakphu. The solo instrumentation creates a sense of shared intimacy as if each plucked string could impact a treasured memory. The protagonist of the movie sings of the beautiful mountains, mists, and other symbols of nature’s persistence. As he works his ways through, he finds the motivation to persists himself.

Another song is a masterpiece from Anmol Gurung “Amala ” had the enigmatic of beautiful scenes. Viewers say this is the most picturesque songs ever made. The tracks disappear abruptly, retreating into the mouth of those deep mountains and valleys. The sounds of dissolution are everywhere on “Sajha pare pachi” in the fragments of words dissolving at the song’s perimeter and the acoustic thrums of guitar dissipating and jamming. It’s wistful, memorable hook, journeying through a series of doorways to someone forever on the other side who has the ability to make some memories down the lane. The song collapses with an angelic voice of Anmol Gurung.

Appa has touched many hearts all around Nepal and in many parts of India. The movie is also planning to hit international roads. The movie shows the value of “Fathers” The movie also portrays a major scene with the sequence in which the protagonist of the movie( Appa) hands over a bundle of hard-earned money to buy a guitar for the kids and immediately after a scene has been followed by where the son shatters/breaks a piggybank to host a party for a girl. This scene was very impactful to the audience as it vividly shows the contrast, the technique of Juxtaposing different images.

As from the starting of the story when “Birkhey” is woken by the Father. He realizes his faults as a human and that his reaction and response to them are merely the faults of his own. The back of the story also shows that the son Siddharth has an open look at his dad. His heart crushes him as he reminds him not only of his past life but also he felt ashamed and poor and at thinking he had a dad who was somehow lesser than others. The scene serves as both a reminder of those anger and the purpose of forgiveness that brings them both back together. The words don’t do the effects justice but the ending scene shows the regrets of the son and the father. The movie ends with a very heartbreaking scene when the father departs with his son.

Writes – Puravi Gurung, Salesian College Sonada – Mass communication Dept.

The post APPA – A Delightful Tale of Love and Forgiveness appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

Gunjan “Gigga” Lama though is different, he wants to talk about our place and our people, and tell our stories through his songs.

Here’s his story

Name: Gunjan Tamang 
Ama: Rita Tamang
 Appa: Passang Tamang 
 School(s): St. Robert’s and RKSP Darjeeling
 College: Govt College, Darjeeling 

TheDC: Since when have you been interested in music?

Gigga: I started singing when I was very young.

TheDC: How did you get into Rapping?

Gigga: when I was in class 6 at St Robert’s my friend started banging desk and I was like rhyming words out using funny rhyme that is how I got into rapping.

I recorded my First song named RHYME TIME in 2014 at Matrics studio I used to upload my songs on Reverbnation and after that I joined YouTube in 2018. I been writing lyrics for past 6 years, I have uploaded more than 25 videos in the past one and half year. I have more than 10 songs on Youtube.

TheDC: What was the reaction from your family? do they support your musical endeavours?

Gigga: My family they were supportive for me not only in school but in music and other co curricular activities.

TheDC: What do you think of the overall rap scene in Darjeeling?

Gigga: Well I think its evolving fast. Also I think, we are all having an impact – for instance, there were many rappers before me but they were not able to carry it forward and they stopped making records and scene was very basic, But I have been putting videos related to my music and other hip-hop activities weekly for the past 1 and half years and slowly people started knowing Darjeeling rappers as I had introduced more than 10 rappers from Darjeeling on my CYPHER TOWN episodes, and I still remember I used to hit 10 views on single day now my music video WELCOME TO DARJEELING just hit 22k   In a single day .

I still remember I used to have 82 subscribers on my Youtube channel, but now I am the only rapper from Darjeeling who has 15k + subscribers

Rap scene in Darjeeling is going higher and higher day by day. Now a days there are so many rappers emerging in Darjeeling – making good songs and good music videos .

TheDC: What are/were the challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them?

Gigga: Now we have opened our production house HILLHOP TV  (HOME STUDIO)… There were many challenges that I can’t even begin to explain…

We used to have no money for recording, and there were no producer of hip-hop beats, no promotion channel, no sponsor, no record label. It was very difficult for us, because recording was expensive and there were only a few people who encouraged me to do more, but I wanted to compose more songs, and then I started to record my own songs on my laptop and then slowly I bought one microphone and gradually I made a home studio.

Though I faced so many problems, I haven’t taken it as an excuse to escape from my music, no matter what happened elsewhere, I kept on writing my songs and composing music for them.

TheDC: Among musicians – Who do you like the most and why?

Gigga: Among Mepali musicians I like Narayan Gopal because his Lyrics are just like river – they flow so smooth, and I also like modern musician such as Sajjan, Sabin Rai, Neetish, Albrotross etc

Among Nepali rappers I like to listining to Yama Buddha, Manas Ghale and MC Flo

Among the western artists, I like blues, BB King is my all time favourite and I love to listen to hip-hop music rappers like NAS Tupck, KRS, Ice Cube, Eminem, Snoop Dogg and many more old School rappers. O like old School hip-hop because it had meaning melody and several rhyme schemes.

TheDC: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

Gigga: After 5 years I see myself as a successful person who is happy and satisfied with what he is doing.

TheDC: Any suggestions for youngsters who may want to follow on your footsteps.

Gigga: I want to give only one suggestion to all our young stars of Darjeeling – do what you are interested in, don’t copy others, just be yourself, don’t waste time on unwanted things, start using your time it is more valuable than money

TheDC: Any last words..

Gigga: Thank you so much for spreading my music… I hope people will like my music as long as I keep making it

The post Portrait of an Artist: Gunjan “Gigga” Lama –Rapper appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

“आधा बन्द आधा खुले जस्तो
जिन्दगीको ढोका हुरीमा झुले जस्तो…”

(half-closed, and half-open it feels… life’s doors, swinging in the storm)

About the Song

Featured by the popular Nepali YouTube channel, OSR Digital, singer Melina Rai of “Kutu ma kutu” fame has lent her mellifluous voice to this ghazal. The ghazal was recorded in Kathmandu and the visuals released under the banner of Parul Production, Sikkim.

‘Aadha’, the ghazal is a representation of the extremely busy and self-centered society. It reflects upon the superficial satiety that society wishes to project but, in reality, it is becoming lonelier every day. The writer seems to represent this slowly diminishing the core identity of every individual living in the society, through this ghazal. ‘Aadha’ is a search for one’s own lost face among an ocean of faces.

In an attempt to represent the dilemma of people struggling to find a face, the dilemma faced by people in making choices, into a visual, the prodigious Director/ Cinematographer Pallawib Rai from Darjeeling has turned it into a little abstract piece of art.

In the Backstage

“It was my wish to release a last anthology of ghazals and its album. While discussing the album Aadha, we decided to come up with a visual for one of the ghazals. We found a director in Pallawib Rai, and it was decided that we would have to go to Kathmandu to record the ghazal in Melina Rai’s voice. Raja Puniani, the poet, agreed to act in the video. Pallawib and his team worked relentlessly for eight months to present to us this wonderful visual. It took two years for the album to take shape and during this period, I learnt that it is not wish alone that turns a dream into reality. It also requires the support and unconditional advice from close friends.” – expressed Khusendra Rai on the release of the visual.

Pallawib has done the cinematography for world-famous musician Ricky Kej’s visual and it has won the artist, the coveted Grammy Award. After having worked in Mumbai for many years and after honing his skill, Pallawib decided to return for the love of his hometown. He took up the challenging project of combining cinematography with poetry through poet Raja Puniani’s poems, ‘Bhramapahad’ and ‘Encounter’ and with this, he started a new trend of multimedia poetry.

He has gained popularity through works like ‘Cycle’ for Raja Puniani, ‘Mounta’ for Dr.Sudarshan Tamang, ‘Dumping Ground’ for Pushkar Parajuli, ‘Khulla Aakash’ for Prakash Sundas and ‘Saacho Maya’ for The Travellers.

The Inspiration

On the release of the visual of Aadha, Pallawib remarked,” I used to listen to ghazals on my father’s tape recorder and the lyrics of those ghazals used to fascinate me. When I was given the task of creating a visual for Aadha, I felt that lyrics must be the heart of the visual. Raja Puniani and I drew a concept for Aadha over the messenger at midnight. Khusendra Rai’s composition Aadha is like a door during a storm – it is neither open nor closed. That door is a reflection of an uncertain time and an emotional state. I felt that the visuals and the story had to represent this uncertainty, the abstractness of the lyrics of this ghazal.”

He added, “Time may move on but I felt that I needed to keep the character’s imaginations and desires dormant at some point. What we bring forth onto the real stage may not justify our imagination and aspiration for a character since turning imagination into real visuals is a real challenge, so I feel what I have presented here is not exactly what I wanted to project. But again, as my ‘ghazal listening’ father would put it – One isn’t born a Ronaldo, it is practice and perseverance that makes a Ronaldo – so the bug for creating music videos for ghazals has definitely bitten me but for now we have served a ghazal which may not be perfect in many ways. However, we request you to please like and share and encourage us, so that we can come up with more polished ones in future.”

About the Music Composers

The music has been composed by one of the finest music composers of Darjeeling, Diwas Gurung, and the music has been arranged by Jiwan Prakash Pradhan.

The characters in the video are portrayed by Raja Puniani and Puja Kadel. Famed for his collection of stories ‘Khurmi’, Khusendra Rai’s story was published by Sangrila India. He lives in Joom, Sikkim

Just as his stories have been accepted and loved by the readers, we hope that he will be loved equally for his ghazal album ‘Aadha’. At present, Khusendra Rai is busy with the publishing of his ghazal anthology and is also occupied with the writing of a new novel.

About the Song

• Vocal: Melina Rai
• Composition: Diwas Gurung
• Arrangement and Mixing: Jiwan Prakash Pradhan
• Recorded At: Sangeet Sagar, Kathmandu, Nepal
• Introducing: Sambodhan Gurung (Child Artist) Ft. Raja Puniani & Pooja Kadel
• MUA: Eallina Pradhan
• Rigs & Technical Support: Kingshuk Sharma (Digital Canvas)
• Concept: Pallawib and Raja Puniani
• Direction/ Cinematography/ Editing: Pallawib
• Location Partners: Sangria- La Book Café, Siliguri, Kempe House, Patharghatta, Basundhara, Dagapur, Siliguri

The post Portrait of An Artist: Writer Khusendra Rai Releases New Ghazal ‘Aadha’ appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

About Rahul Singh

While in school he and a couple of friends formed a band and called it Insanity (2003) and the journey began. The band split after it cut its first Nepali album called Stainless Tears. Rahul was 14 years old then but the album was a major milestone. He instantly decided to pursue music as his career.

During his high school days Rahul co founded Third Eye, a popular rock band from Darjeeling. The band toured and played prestigious music festivals across the country including Independence Rock (2008). Rahul, during these days bagged many music awards, but finds the best Vocalist award during the Spring Fest, IIT Kharagpur (2007), when he was just 18 years old, the most inspiring moment of his life. 

Rahul is also a popular session player for various Bollywood artistes both studio and live

About “For the Love”

‘For The Love’ is a song about love and the video is a nostalgic reminiscence of the young spirit. With plain simple words, the image of romantic rural charm, and the soulful music can make a lasting impression in your memory. 

• Recording engineer: Rahul Sharma ( AMV Studios, Mumbai) Singer/songwriter: Rahul Singh
• Mixed and Mastered: Chris Brown ( Abbey Roads Studios, London )
• Concept/Direction: Sohit K Sarkar Thakuri
• DOP: Sailesh Bhosle
• Asst.Director: Razzak
• Editor: Fakhre Alam 
• Creative: Tanuj Bohra

TheDC had covered Rahul’s journey in 2016 when he was beginning his journey to Bollywood. We are replugging the story here for our readers to enjoy and get inspired.

The Bollywood Journey

Currently based in Mumbai, Rahul Singh has been as a part of the Bollywood music industry for the past 8 years. Darjeeling, Rahul, in the country, is one of the most reputed audio engineering colleges in the country, School of Audio Engineering (SAE) in the West Point School after completing his Higher Secondary Education. Ever since his sixth standard Rahul will tell his family and friends that his ambition is to pursue music and follow it big. While in school he and a couple of friends took a band and called it Insanity and the journey started. The band split after it cut its first Nepali album called Stainless Tears.

Rahul was 14 years old then the album was a major milestone. He instantly decided to pursue music as his career.

During his high school days he co-founded another band called the Third Eye. The band was a success. It won the IIT Kharagpur spring fest by Rahul the best Vocalist in the year 2007. The following year the band also won the Times of Youth Challenge Competition Kolkata. The same year The Third Eye moved on to the finalists for Independence Rock 2008.

In the end of year 2008 Rahul moved to Mumbai to join SAE. “The college was a great learning platform and it was a wonderful experience” – says Rahul.

He passed out as a topper in the year 2010. Rahul started off and a couple of Television Soaps for programming and arranging. Eventually he started playing guitar in Bollywood as a session player both live and studio. During this time he also appeared in some commercial advertisements like Nerolac paintings, Cadbury Eclairs and Cafe Coffee. “I think it was just luck that I made it through the auditions but the ads pay good money and it helps you like a city like Mumbai in the sustainability” – says the forever smiling musician.

Initially Rahul started playing with Indian Idol and Saregama singers like Meyeng Chang, Swaroop Khan and many more in a few months and he started playing for a lot of Bollywood musicians. The list ranges from Shivani Kashyab to Pakistani Sufi rock band Reath. Eventually it listed names like Gajendra Verma, Gaurav Dagaoukar, Shalmali and the big names like Mohit Chauhan, Arijit Singh, and Ankit Tiwari.

The young lad from the hills says that it was a dream to come true in Berklee College Of Music, which has produced legends like John Mayer, John Scofield, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Joe Satriani, and many more during his month long tour to US and Canada with the Bollywood biggie, Mohit Chauhan in the year 2014.

The 29 year old cherishes his moment when he played at Wembley, London last year. I was really excited by the stage of a stage where the bands like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and many more.

Rahul has already done two US tours with Mohit Chauvan and Ankit Tiwari respectively covering almost 52 out of 52 states. He has also toured most of Europe and Asia in his recent Europe and Asia tours with various Bollywood artites.

Rahul has contributed his guitars to Bollywood movies like Table No. 21 and sixteen and a couple of TV soaps / ads and recently for the movie RUSTOM starring Akshay Kumar. He has also done background scores for daily soaps for Channel V. There are commercial jingles produced by him as well.

He has also featured in MTV Unplugged with Ankit Tiwari and has played in GIMMA Awards, Mirchi Awards and IIFA Awards (Malaysia) in the year 2015.

The greatest achievement of his life is his first Bollywood movie- “The Legend of Micheal Mishra”, which he debuts him and his music partner Som Burman as Music Directors. Som and Rauhl as they are known in Bollywood music fraternity these days, each other in Mumbai while pursuing their course in sound engineering from SAE college. It was during this period of time when they both realized that they share common musical taste and likes. Ever since they started living together as room mates. The goal was common, that is to score for the mainstream Bollywood movie as a composer duo.

The Struggle

Their struggle started in the year 2008, which includes sleepless nights, rejection from producers, misleading by fake filmmakers etc.

Mumbai is a wild city and is here to survive a task in itself. In the meanime, to earn their bread n butter Som started off programming and the Bollywood tracks arranged professionally, which he continues till now. He has produced tracks for music directors like Amal Malik, Vivek Kar, Gajendra Verma. He has tracks for movies like “Sanam Re”. “Meruthiya Gangsters” .. “Direct Ishq” .. “One Night Stand”.

Som-Rahul also hit television for hit music shows like “hum se hai life” .. “Suvreen Guggal”, “BFF”. Thereafter Rahul chose to visit a guitarist with renowned singers like Mohit Chauhan, Ankit Tiwari and so on.

Som continued to show music for TV shows like “the buddy project” .. “Savdhan India” .. “Palak pe Jhalak” and the latest musical drama “Meri Awaaz Hi Meri Pehchaan” aired in “And TV” with very talented music composer Shivi. R.Kashyap, while Rahul toured almost the entire world with Bollywood biggies.

The Big Day

In 2014, Rahul’s friend Upasana Chettri, who is a profession assistant director, gave them a call saying Manish Jha is a film directing, why not you guys come and pitch it? “This phone call changed everything in Som-Raul’s life.

They went for pitching and Manish Jha, well known for his critically acclaimed film “Matrubhumi” and “Anwar” to give the situation to the song in his movie.

After a week of hard work, they went to his office with 17 different tracks. Unfortunately, all of them rejected. Frustrated, they came home and locked themselves up in their room. All of a sudden both of them woke up and the tune of the song “Nikhattoo” clicked in. Next morning they went to Jha’s office for the pitching. Manish Jha, after listening to the rough cut his head and said “bingo! This is the track I was looking for. Go downstairs and sign the agreement!”

This was the biggest day in Som-Taul musical career.

So, stay tuned for some unique and crazy musical experience and keep your love and support to this young and very talented musician from our beloved hills .

The post Portrait of an Artist: Rahul Singh appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

I have won and I have won big, I do not remember what the competition was or against whom, but that was the feeling that I got after listening to the latest release by Bipul – the enigmatic phenomenon from our Darjeeling Himalayas.

The sounds of Tungna – a traditional instrument reverberating in reverence to the mighty mother that we – the people have always referred to as Tista Mai or Mother Teesta did something much more than entertain my ears. The song reminded me of a long lost memory of me and my brother going for a Swim at the Dobhan on hot summer days in my village back in the mountains.

The Marchunga with its tyaou tyaou jerks me back to a wakefulness that I had long forgotten. Like a Jhyakri – Shaman waking to his state of trance, the tyaou tyaou of the Marchunga draws every listener into the deeper depths of human celebration of the joy, that we know as Life.

For me moments of monotonous repetitive news of vote and election and winner and loser and police and torture all is drowned by the sounds of the song which break with the lyrical word “Geet Bani aayou…”

Gorkhalis of Darjeeling have always been great lovers of music, from a child’s birth – right upto one’s old age there are songs to suit each and every age group, describing each. Like Budi ma Jati Sabailai the Tamang selo which teases younger girls by referring to the singers respectful fondness of the older women. This “Collective” that we today refer to as the Gorkhalis of Darjeeling have all been described in one word by Bipul’s lyrics “Geet”. This one word encapsulates all of that collective of songs and this community’s love for Music.  Phiroj Syangden to Adrian to Mantra of the new to the Steam Injuns of the mid, and also the Ambar Gurungs of the old.  This community’s love for music is unquestionable, and Bipul’s new song celebrates that love for me. 

The Damphu at the beginning to the Sherpa Beats which accompany the drums all jostlethe essence of the hardships of life, not just due to the geography of our region, but also celebrates the People and their culture engaged in that space.

The mountain tops of Sandakphu, to the sharp ridges of Kurseong, to the valley below the Badarey Bhir of Kaleybung all resounds in the beats of the Damphu and drums of this song.

Maadal and Sarangi the duo which do not exist without each other like the original “Teesta Rangeet” Also come up in the lyrics and are the accompaniment to the dancers, who sway in the banks of the river Teesta itself.

Here I remember the numerous hill belles who have entertained generations of us with their graceful Sorathi, Maruni, and other dances during the festivals of Dashain and Tihar. 

Staying in Kolkata for the last decade has taught me many things, but the most important of all of the life lessons that any city has offered me is the love and respect one should have for one’s own Land. 

“Geet bani aayou…” seems such a powerful tribute to something that has been with us not just in our happiness but also sadness.  Every person from the Hills will realise instantly that in life they have at least once gone to the banks of the river for a family picnic or to also wash down the Aasthu of the loved ones who have passed away.

That alone should tell us the relationship that Teesta river has with each and every one of us.

Bipul’s song Teesta is a celebration of Life and all of the possibilities which the hills of Darjeeling, Kaleybung and Kurseong offer us.

All we need to do is, cherish it, care for it, and conserve it for the generations ahead.

Why was Teesta written? Here’s Bipul’s explanation

‘For most of who have grown up on the hills that flank the river Teesta, she has been more than a collection of whirlpools and rapids. When friends and family who gathered to bid us farewell became tiny specks in the rear view mirror, the Teesta moved alongside all the way down to the plains. And when we returned, months or years later, she would be the first to welcome us home – gurgling, jumping and skipping like a young sibling who had missed us more than we missed her.

Sadly, unable to withstand the onslaught of progress of the recent years, the grand old lady isn’t what she used to be. More than half a dozen hydroelectric dams have reduced what was once a swift flowing Himalayan river into mere intervals of lifeless water bodies.

This song has been written in praise of the beauty she once was. Which our children may never ever see again. “

People behind Bipul Chettri’s Teesta

BIPUL CHETTRI - Composition, Arrangement, Lyrics, Vocals, Guitars 
 PRANAI GURUNG - Guitars 
RAHUL RAI - Bass 
ACHINT (SHIVAM) KHARE - Keys,  Synths 
AMAN SINGH RATHORE - Drums, Percussions 
KIRAN NEPALI - Sarangi,  Tungna, Backing Vocals 
PRINCE NEPALI - Sarangi 
BEJJANKI V. RAVI KIRAN -  Murchunga 
SONAM TASHI, BINAYA MAN AMATYA - Backing Vocals 

Recording,  Mixing, Mastering  - Anindo Bose (Plug 'N' Play Studios)
Recording -  Gaurav Chintamani (Quarter Note Studios) 
Prince Sarangi Recordings -  Binaya Man Amatya 
Producer - Bipul Chettri 
Executive Producer  - Sonam  Tashi 

Camera - Labesh Shrestha, Praveen Chettri, Rubin Pradhan, 
Pexel,  Sonam Tashi, Lhadup Moktan. 
Drone - Prytomb Shakya, Anup Sapkota.  
Editing - Sonam Tashi. 
Artwork - Manohar Rai.   

You can BUY the song online at:

OkListen – http://tiny.cc/30gj6y
Spotify – http://tiny.cc/xsgj6y
iTunes – http://tiny.cc/dxgj6y
Amazon Music – http://tiny.cc/0ygj6y
Google Music – http://tiny.cc/j0gj6y
YouTube – http://tiny.cc/x1gj6y
Saavn – http://tiny.cc/q3gj6y

The post Bipul Chettri’s Teesta – Quintessential Call to the Roots appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

This month, we are sharing a story “खीर” by ईन्द्र बहादुर राई.

Instead of just focusing on previously published stories, we have decided to accept stories from our readers. The best story every month will be given a voice over by RJ Samir and we will turn it into an audio-visual format.

If you have it in you to write a story in Nepali, please do send us your entries.

You can write-in comments below or inbox us a message. Or You can email us the same at: editor@thedarjeelingchronicle.com or thedarjeelingchronicle@gmail.com

You can reach out to RJ Samir via WhatsApp or Call at: 891834 3658

We THANK our contributors

• Direction – Nawami Gurung and Ananya Dey
• Sketch – Ananya De
• Editing – Nawami Gurung
• Kheer Cover Image- Sawrav Cintury
• Narration – R.J Samir
• Assistant Director- Aditi Gupta

We know we could have done a much better job, but this is a learning experience for all of us, and we are working towards perfecting the visual narratives to go in tune with the stories.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Smriti Rai – the Head of The Department, St. Joseph’s College, Mass Comm and Journalism for all her help and support.

Please SHARE, help us reach these stories to all of our people

You can subscribe to RJ Sameer on Youtube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWXn…

The post TheDC Story Series – “हाम्रा कथाहरु” Episode 3: खीर appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.