Govt makes National Anthem public

KATHMANDU, Aug 3 - The government on Friday made public the new National Anthem of Nepal.
Amidst a special function in parliament in the presence of dignitaries, the new National Anthem – penned by poet Byakul Maila and composed by veteran musician and lyricist Amber Gurng – was made public.

Speaker Subhas Nembang flicked the switched to make the new National Anthem officially public.

The National Anthem Selection Task Team (NASTT) had selected poet Byakul Maila's song -- Sayaun Thunga Phoolka Hami Eutai Mala Nepali -- as the new National Anthem of Nepal on November 30 last year.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers Wednesday finalised the tune composed by veteran musician and lyricist Amber Gurung for the new National Anthem.

Out of the six compositions presented – three by Gurung, one by Nhyu Bajracharya and one each by the Nepal Police and Nepal Army – the Council of Ministers asserted Gurung’s tune the best for the National Anthem.

Singers Yam Baral, Gyanu Rana, Bimala Rai, Rajesh Payal Rai, Sunita Subba, Anju Panta, Ajay Thapa, Anil Man Maharjan, Ganga Neupane, Chanda Dewan, Jayananda Lama, Bhuma Limbu, Narayan Oli, Benuka Rai, Rajendra Man Shrestha, Ram Gurung, Rina Bhusal, Rupa Jha, Shishir Yogi and Srijana Shrestha have rendered their voices to the New National Anthem.

The music for the national anthem has been arranged by Sarad Gurung.

The restored House of Representatives in its May 18 House Proclamation had declared the earlier National Anthem null and void.

Since then, the country was sans a National Anthem.

The NASTT had held a number of interaction programmes across the country to seek suggestions about the new National Anthem.

The previous national anthem (Shreeman Gambhir Nepali Prachanda Pratapi Bhupati) music composed by Bakhatbir Budhapirthi and written by Chakrapani Chalise was adopted in 1899.

The previous national anthem had widely been criticized as it was just a melody praising the monarchy.

The first two lines of the new National Anthem read as follows:

'Sayaun Thunga Phoolka Hami Eutai Mala Nepali
Sarvabhaum Bhai Phailiyeka Mechi Mahakali...'

(From hundreds of flowers, we are one garland Nepali
Sovereign we are spread across Mechi Mahakali)

In napali
राष्ट्रिय गान

सयौं थूंगा फूलका हामी, एउटै माला नेपाली
सार्वभौम भइ फैलिएका, मेची-महाकाली ।

प्रकृतिका कोटी-कोटी सम्पदाको आंचल
वीरहरुका रगतले, स्वतन्त्र र अटल

ज्ञानभूमि, शान्तिभूमि तराई, पहाड, हिमाल
अखण्ड यो प्यारो हाम्रो मातृभूमि नेपाल ।

बहुल जाति, भाषा, धर्म, संस्कृति छन् विशाल
अग्रगामी राष्ट्र हाम्रो, जय जय नेपाल ।