Music Runs in my blood
Dr Dhrubesh Chandra Regmi

Sitar maestro Dr Dhrubesh Chandra Regmi comes from one of the great music families of Nepal. His great grandfather, Dev Chandra Regmi, was the first to popularise the instrument, sitar, in Nepal. His grandfather, Krishna Chandra Regmi, was honoured with the prestigious Indra Rajya Laxmi award for preserving and promoting a musical tradition. As a child, Dr Dhrubesh learned to play the instrument from his father, Satish Chandra Regmi. "My dad was always ready to teach me the sitar. He is my inspiration, and everything that I possess today, my skills and passion for music, was given by him," says Dr Dhrubesh.

A disciple of classical music, he is the first Nepali to hold a PhD degree in Music. He holds a Master's in Arts (Music) from the University of Delhi, and also the Sangeet Alankar (Master of Music) degree in Music from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya of India. Besides, he has a Bachelor's in Law from Tribhuvan University. Currently, a legal expert at SAWTEE, a public interest litigation agency, he is also the chairperson of Nepal Classical Music Society as well as an Associate Professor at Padma Kanya Campus. All these positions apart, the sitarist is also the front man of the folk and classical music trio, Sukarma. In a chat with VOW, Dr Dhrubesh told us about his musical journey. Excerpts:

When did you give your first public performance?
I was 13. The sitar was too long and heavy for me to balance and play on my own. And for that particular performance, I remember that a person held my sitar for me while I played.

You are also a lawyer by profession, but you no longer practise law, except for a few public interest cases, why is that so?
Initially, I thought I would practise law and take music as a hobby. However, I found that the environment in the profession did not suit my taste, or rather I was not satisfied. The profession of law requires a lot of sacrifices from you. I was frustrated. I then realised that music is where my soul is. So I pursued music professionally and took up law as a hobby. Sometimes I think you cannot go against what runs in your blood.

What is the relevance of music in your life?
Music is everything for me. Dhrubesh Chandra Regmi's existence has no meaning without music. It is my master, my love.

How was Sukarma formed?
As a classical musician and a passionate lover of music, I always wanted to promote music. In 1997, with Shyam Nepali on sarangi and Atul Gautam on tabala, we formed the band, Karma, in order to preserve our classical and folk music tradition. However, the main aim was to spread the message of love and peace among all Nepalis. Once the band took off, I was amazed by the response. It was overwhelming. Unfortunately, our tabala master passed away in 2006, and Pramod Upadhaya took the position of percussionist in our band. Then, "Su" was added to the name of our band while we were preparing for a concert in Japan as the organiser there told us that the meaning of "Karma" in Japanese was lurid and thus the band would not be well received. Thereafter, we just kept the name as Sukarma which means good deeds.

What has been the most memorable moment in your musical journey so far?
In 2002, Sukarma participated in the International Global Mountain Summit in Kyrgystan representing the music of the Hindu-Kush region. On the return trip, a plane was chartered for us. At 37,000 feet high up in the sky, we gave a concert. That moment was very special for us. I can still remember how we played with sheer excitement. We had even wanted to find a place for that performance in the Guinness Book of World Records, but later we did not follow it up, so it didn't work out.

What is the present status of classical music in Nepal?
It is better than before. I now see musicians and singers starting to give importance to classical music. Even schools and colleges are now opening faculties for classical music. I think people have finally realised that classical music is the foundation of all music.

Which instrument would you choose to play besides the sitar?
I love the bansuri (flute). I wish I could play it. I would also love to be able to play the guitar. In fact, I try to keep the flute and the guitar as accompanying instruments in all my performances. In our album, Eastern Bridge, I have tried to fuse guitar and flute with sitar.

What are some of your favourites?
I mostly listen to classical music. I do not have particular favourites, but I like the music of Gopal Yonjan—Bhoka lai roti deu, ani nanga lai luga, Rudinan meri aama, uu Nepal ki chori. I also like Ram Krishna Dhakal's Bihana uthne bittikai himal dekhna paiyos, and Anand Karki's Je je hunchha yahan parda pachhadi. I like songs that have a message, and yet entertain.

Do you think you have achieved in the music field what you had dreamt to accomplish as a young boy?
Nobody can claim that they have mastered the field of music. Anybody who says so is completely wrong. Music is vast. The more you learn, the more there is left to discover and learn. As for me, there's still a lot to learn and achievquite satisfied with what I have achieved so far, but I don't feel that I have reached my destination yet.