I am Barta Gandharva, a Nepali folk singer, sarangi player, composer, and educator deeply rooted in the Gandharba musical tradition. I was born in a small village in Bhojpur, where music was not just an art but a way of life. From a very young age, I travelled with my mother through villages, singing and playing the sarangi, earning food and shelter along the way a journey that shaped me both as a person and as an artist.

My petite frame might not hint at it, but my voice and sarangi playing have always carried strength, emotion, and a connection to our cultural roots. I was the first woman from my community to take up the sarangi professionally a path few women before me had dared to walk.

I studied music formally at the Lalit Kala Campus and sarangi at the Nepal Music Centre with the support of a scholarship. These experiences helped me grow as a musician and deepen my understanding of our folk traditions. I’ve also had the privilege of teaching sarangi and folk music in Nepal and abroad, including at the University of Agder in Norway and sharing this heritage with students from diverse backgrounds.

Over the years, I’ve performed with celebrated ensembles, collaborated with artists from different genres, and even been part of an all-female folk band, Shree Tara. While the path hasn’t always been easy especially given the challenges traditional performers face in today’s music scene I continue to honour my roots and the stories of my people through song.

Music for me is more than performance; it is storytelling a way to preserve and celebrate the emotions, struggles, and joys of life. Wherever I go, whether to a concert hall or a remote village, I carry that tradition forward with pride.