“Gham pani gham pani syala ko bihe” is a popular Nepali folklore. It tells the story of a jackal who wanted to get married and how he tricked other animals into helping him. It’s a humorous and entertaining story that reflects elements of Nepali culture and oral traditions. But here in my mural I’ve tried to present the merry ambience of a wedding rather than delving deep into the oral story of jackal’s cunning trickery.
Monsoon rain always takes me back to my childhood, especially when the sun is shining with drizzles. It reminds me of “gham pani gham pani syala ko bihe”. I still remember my childhood and my crazy friends and how we got excited when there was a sun-shower and together we sang and danced: “Gham pani gham pani syala ko bihe. Kukur janti biralo bahun, biralo ley choyeko kohi nakhaun.”
I want to bring my childhood memories where my soul is still connected. With the monsoon rain outside, the time couldn’t be more perfect to work on this piece, similarly choosing “syal ko bihe” as a subject. It provides the opportunity to represent and celebrate Nepali folklore and culture throughout art and also this can resonate with a wide range of audiences, including those who have fond memories of hearing the story of their childhood.
The palette of color gives the effect of sun-shower. Different animal characters with their different surreal moods are visually appealing and offer artists a chance to showcase their creativity in character design. Using papier mache and discarded stuff as an element is more of my forte. So bringing the inspiration together and in the belief of carrying my childhood monsoon memories throughout my life, I present this “gham pani gham pani syal ko bihe” in this post.
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