KATHMANDU: Singer Sambhu Phombo has come up with a different sort of music video this time, a traditional Limbu song titled ‘Aningwa Pa:lam’.

Singer Phombo and Sunita Sanyak are the lead vocalists in the music video while Suman Limbu, Diwas Payangu, Dipa Suhang and Niranta Nembang have lent their voices to the chorus that begins with “Ha… Hai…”

Set in the hillside of eastern Nepal, where a large number of people from Limbu community dwell, the song, once vibrant in the past, represents the dying culture of the community.

Model and cine artists Babita Phombo and Rudra Pahim have performed their lead roles in the music video. Written by Shanta Kerung, the music video is directed by Loken Sanba.

Evolved through an artifact ‘Ha… Ha…’ produced by farmers to drive away birds while harvesting paddy in the ancient time, Pa:lam became a major source of entertainment in the Limbu community in the course of time, according to senior litterateur of Nepal Biragi Kainla. The dance which is sung to the Pa:lam is called ‘Yalang’, or ‘Dhan Nach’.

As the time elapsed by, men and women gathered together and danced to the song Pa:lam, not only during the harvest time, but also on the occasion of festive seasons, fairs and ceremonies, which ultimately resulted in Yalang (Dhan Nach) and Pa:lamg,  a major artifact of the cultural identity of Limbu community, shared Dr Ramesh Kumar Limbu, an Assistant Professor at Nepal Sanskrit University.

As described by Dr Limbu, in the song ‘Aningwa Pa:lam,’ the story is woven out of the context where boys in a village meet with girls who happen to drop in at their relative’s house as guests (clad in their traditional attire and ornaments)  and dance Yalang with them from dusk till dawn to the melodious song, “Aningwao Kedama……” (The lady who always crosses my mind).

Known as a melodious singer in the Nepali music industry, Phombo has already given his voice to Nepali songs ‘Rupa Heri Hoina…’, ‘Na Kasaiko Dara….’ ‘Purbaiko Maruni’, ‘Kasako Biswash’… which have won hearts of many music lovers.