Rodin Lal Shrestha, 20, from Tokha, Kathmandu, says that Bob Dylan’s music and poetry are the closest things to completeness he can describe.

Like many, ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ caught Shrestha’s attention as a child. Ever since, he has been intrigued by Dylan’s meditation on love and loss, prophecies and preachings. “No other musician channels the wisdom of the ages while also commanding an equally youthful energy as he does,” expresses Shrestha.

For youths, music preferences act as a communal tapestry rather than a mere individual aesthetic. They have come together to enjoy communal exchanges grounded in collective tributes for celebrated artists, including Gyanu Rana, Nepathya, Ozzy Osbourne and Adele.

Lyricisms, rhythms, and melodies bring a village together, reminding us of the beauty of celebrating art collectively, humming our favourite songs and finding ourselves in the subtle, poignant layers of lyrics.

This music traverses generations, rivers, mountains and oceans. One such village is woven by the musical legacy of the American singer, Bob Dylan.

Born on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota, Dylan’s life has long revolved around music. He emerged as the central figure in the American folk scenes and later was known for his evolution from folk icon to rock revolutionary.

His lyricism, more than his musicality, has been widely acclaimed for its oscillation between personal expression and socio-political advocacy.

On May 24, 2026, listeners from Kathmandu gathered in various places, including Moksh Restaurant Jhamsikhel, Sadhana Ghar Theatre, and Eden, to celebrate Dylan’s 85th birthday. These tributes were organised to reflect on the universality, relatability and longevity of his music and poetry. And Shrestha too, swept into gear, eager to immerse himself in a community that was equally passionate for Dylan’s music.

Moksh Restaurant Jhamsikhel has been organising tribute events for the musician for several years. The chain was halted in 2020 due to Covid 19, and has now been restarted this year.

Sadhana Ghar Theatre collaborated with the students of Oscar International College of Film Studies to screen Dylan’s biopic, ‘A Complete Unknown’, and later invited artists to perform his songs. The screen on the stage projected a poster of Dylan’s endearing pictures with the circular stand of his harmonica—a legendary part of his identity—wrapped around his neck, and his hands holding his guitar.

Arjun Tiruwa, one of the organisers and representative of Oscar College, recalls Dylan’s songs helping him cope with the September 2025 Gen-Z movement. “That was the first time I delved deeper into Dylan’s songs,” he says. “I consciously searched for his lyrics that would help me cope with the political scenario at the time.”

He therefore believes there is a Dylan song for every situation in life for people to connect with emotionally. “Even 80 years from now, people will still find relatability in his music,” he adds.

For him, hosting such a tribute event means bringing together an emotionally connected community. As there are few to no opportunities for the artists to know that such events are happening for them, the organisers, however, believe that these gatherings also aim to introduce the audience to newer forms of art and music.

“After the event, people who had not yet discovered Bob Dylan came up to me and said that they might explore his songs now,” Tiruwa adds. “We do this for people to come together, discover music or talk about the ones that are close to them, or perhaps grew up listening to.”

The process for the organising team follows an open call on social media, including Instagram and Facebook. Artists contact them based on their interests for the open mic. “Social media helps us significantly to know about such events,” Tiruwa says.

One of the artists at the college’s event was Bikram Parki. He shares his motive for taking part in the event—to make friends with whom he can talk endlessly about shared interests in music. And after the event, he admits to having networked with Dylan’s fans, especially online.

“When I posted a video of me singing ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ on Instagram, people’s replies flooded,” he says.

This recognition, for him as a singer and songwriter, gave him a chance to promote his own music among the already established audience. “Events like this, as important as they are to pay homage to a legendary artist, become equally meaningful to the emerging ones too,” Parki adds.

Between the echoes of songs sung by the performers and the audience, silence rippled with moments to settle with each note and lyric.

In this atmosphere of reflection, the early celebration at Eden, Sanepa brought together renowned Nepali bands, Phosphenes and Kta Haru, who performed in tribute to Dylan’s musical legacy.

What came to the surface that evening was a convergence of personal histories with listeners, performers and organisers bound together by a shared archive of songs.

“It came to me as a surprise when I heard of this tribute event,” says musician Prasanna Shah. “It was also exciting to see the audiences across different age groups immersed in Dylan’s music just as we were.”

Even before his birthday, Dylan’s music has been returning to Nepal at different moments; from playlists to protests to subtle conversations in gatherings. “When I meet my friends from Phosphenes, there is always an hour or two we spend talking about Dylan and The Beatles,” Shah adds.

He first began listening to Dylan’s songs in 2010. Being a singer-songwriter himself, he says that the encounter has deeply inspired him to create, resurfacing at different points in his musical journey.

In this sense of continuity, for listeners like Rodin Lal Shrestha, the appeal lies precisely in the musician’s ability to remain relevant across changing times and contexts.

He says, “The quality of being able to survive and prosper with his overwhelming youthful wisdom, even with the changing times, is what makes Dylan’s music immortal.”