Nepali Folklore Society (NFS): An Introduction
Every nation exists on its own identity, which is reflected in the typicality of its folklore and folk culture. The different groups of people living in Nepal have maintained their identities in terms of their own values and norms, beliefs, knowledge and experience, language and literature, arts etc. Despite this fact, we can also notice the changes taking place in the traditional folk life and folk culture along with the influences of modernization process. In this connection, after realizing the need for an academic institution at the national level with the goal of studying, preserving and promoting the folklore and folk culture in the country, Nepali Folklore Society (NFS) was established as a non-political and non-profit making organization, which is registered in the District Administrative Office, Kathmandu.
NFS is guided by one of the directive principles of the state, which emphasizes the ideal of national unity by maintaining the diversities in society through the promotion of language, literature, script, art and culture of all sections of the nation. NFS, with the goal of preserving and promoting the folklore and folk culture of the country, has been carrying out various activities to achieve the goal. To be more specific, this Society was established to carry out the following activities in order to achieve its goal just mentioned. • Collecting, documenting and analyzing the specimens of folk art and literature from various folk groups
Organizing workshops, talk programmes etc. on folklore at a certain time interval
Mobilizing folklore experts to carry out a systematic research on folklore
Celebrating folklore festivals by organizing special
Organizing national and international conferences on folklore
Demonstrating/disseminating various aspects of Nepalese folklore
Organizing programmers to honour those personalities who have made a significant contribution for the preservation and promotion of Nepalese folklore
Publishing newsletters and journals, dealing with the various issues related to folklore
Translating the research-based writings on the folklore, folk culture and literature
Working in collaboration with other national and international institutions interested in the study and promotion of folklore/folk culture
Creating awareness among the people on their rich cultural heritage, traditional technology and indigenous wisdom
Some Important NFS Activities in Brief
The first International Folklore Congress was organized in Kathmandu on May 5-7, 2001.
A CD release programme was organized on August 26, 2001, in which the folk songs of Miss Komal Oli, a famous Nepali singer, are collected.
Sarangi Diwas (The Sarangi Day) was organized in collaboration with Gandharva Art and Culture Organization on February 6, 2003.
The second International Foklore Congress was organized in Kathmandu from May 30 to June 1, 2003.
Various talk programmes were organized, inviting the folklorists from different countries (America, Japan, Bangladesh, and Finland).
Poetry recitation programmes were organized on different occasions, in which poets in the country as well as from abroad were invited to recite their poems.
A special poetry symposium was organized on February 24, 2004.
Representatives were sent on behalf of the Society to participate in the international folklore congresses and seminars held in India and Bangladesh.
Karkha (a traditional form of Gandharva song) singing competition was organized at Pokhara, in collaboration with Gandharva Community Development Centre, Batulechaur, on 24th September 2005.
Now, the Nepali Folklore and Folklife Study Project is running (2005-2008).
Executive Committee of NFS
President: Prof. Tulasi Diwasa
Vice-President: Prof. Dr. Abhi Subedi
General Secretary: Prof. Dr. Chudamani Bandhu
Secretary: Mr. Jaya Raj Panta
Treasurer: Mr. Tej Prakash Shrestha
Member: Dr. Ananda Sharma
Member: Mr. Kusumakar Neupane
Member: Dr. Shiva Rijal
Member: Mr. Hiranya Bhojpure
Member: Prof. Dr. Govinda Raj Bhattarai
Member: Dr. Sangita Rayamajhi