Sunday, June 28, 2015, the Royal Albert Hall in London was packed with a 99% Nepali audience of loudly cheering enthusiasts, many of them dressed to the nines. One by one, acts came on stage and held the cheering British Nepalis mesmerised or had them singing along. The public gestured towards the stage, registering their oneness with the familiar and evocative songs. They had paid between £25 and £100 for tickets for the fundraiser.
The Help Nepal Network (HeNN) presented a special musical concert in aid of the earthquake survivors of the Gorkha district in Nepal. Many senior and well-known Nepali singers, including Deep Shrestha, Om Bikram Bista, Yogeshwar Amatya, Dipak Thapa Magar, Jems Pradhan, Sujil Karmacharya and Trishna Gurung performed during the night.
The host of Kantipur TV’s popular talk show Fireside, Bhusan Dahal hosted much of the event's proceedings.
The district of Gorkha was within the epicentre of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25, 2015. More than 8,000 people have died and thousands of others have been injured. Over 500,000 buildings, including schools and health centres have been destroyed.
The Help Nepal Network was at the forefront of providing relief to survivors of the earthquake. With this concert they aimed to raise funds that will significantly aid the rebuilding process in Nepal.
The band on stage consisted of highly skilled musicians, some of them doubling up on their instruments. On stage, playing beautifully at various times, were; a saxophonist and flautist, a keyboard/pianist, a violinist, two drummers, and four guitarists, two of them also lead singers. The band on its own produced some of the nicest, upbeat and most melodic tunes of the evening.
The Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP, Minister of State at the FCO, sent a message in the programme for the event, as did Tej. B. Chhetri, Charge d’Affaires at the Nepalese Embassy, London.
Help Nepal Network was in the forefront of providing relief to earthquake survivors. HeNN volunteers travelled to Gorkha, Sindhupalchok, Dolakha and other districts with life saving medicines, tents, food and other essential items.
“We are proud to reach out to affected Nepalese communities during this time of an unprecedented national emergency,” said Arun Singh Basnet, chair of the Help Nepal Network Nepal chapter, who coordinated the relief works in Kathmandu, despite being injured himself.
“After deducting expenses, we will send the profits earned from the Concert to Gorkha district and help in rebuilding of schools, health centres etc after consulting local communities,” said Dr Pranab Gyawali, chair of the Help Nepal Network UK chapter.
Yogeshwar Amatya, a well known singer and key personality behind the event, wrote in the programme about the genesis of the concert and the hurdles that needed to be overcome in the creation of the musical event, not least because he found himself five weeks from the performance date without a major sponsor and had to take remedial action. Among those he thanked were the Nakar brothers. He, his wife and all his team of well wishers pulled off an enchanting and memorable event that made this attendee happy and sad.
Sad for the victims ever present in our minds but happy at the lovely music played as tribute to them.
