Thousands of fans filled Kirtipur’s Lab School grounds on Saturday for a sold-out Nepathya concert, dancing as frontman Amrit Gurung led the band through a set spanning generations. 

Some young people hoping to buy tickets left disappointed; the venue was prepared for 8,000 spectators.

The show returned Nepathya to the place where its story began. About 35 years ago, students from Tribhuvan University’s English department invited the newly formed band to perform in the university auditorium. With two guitars, it played an acoustic set. Since then, Nepathya has built a following across generations.

Gurung recalled his university days, when Kirtipur’s fields were open and students debated language and culture. Introducing “Karnalika Chhaila”, a recent song collected in Karnali, he spoke about Sinja Valley, regarded as the birthplace of Nepali.

“If the language survives, its melodies will survive,” he told the crowd, urging people to preserve Nepali. Gurung also urged audiences to support the government and communities affected by natural disasters, according to their means. The concert ended with “Rato Ra Chandra Surya”, celebrating the national flag.

Among the crowd was Prem Khanal, former head of Tribhuvan University’s diplomacy and international relations department, at his fifth Nepathya concert. He said learning the stories behind the songs made the performance more meaningful, and that music connected people worldwide.

Nepathya will perform in Gangtok, Sikkim, on October 31, followed by shows in Itahari on November 4 and Charali in Jhapa on November 7. The band is scheduled to tour Australia in December.