Setting aside migration dreams for a musical journey

Talking to Prakash Gurung made me realize that not all migrant workers from Nepal are leaving the country out of necessity. When I interviewed him last year the 26-year-old told me about his failed migration attempts – as both a student and a migrant worker – but I got the sense that he had options in-country as well; he just preferred the idea of leaving. I think there are many people in similar circumstances — they could find a job here at home, but believe that abroad they might be able to save more money, live in better conditions, or have more promising future prospects, for themselves and/or their family. 

One year later Prakash has shelved his migration plans. In their place he has chosen an unusual path—learning classical guitar. A guitar player since his teenage years, Prakash says that playing classical requires much more discipline than playing and singing rock songs, including hours of daily practice. He’s found a teacher to guide him on that journey. 

As you’ll hear, Prakash is now talking about finding satisfaction and inner peace on his musical quest. This is a huge turnaround from the half-hearted pledges he was making when we talked in 2024, and a pleasant surprise to me. 

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Chapters

• 3:55 A 'totally different mindset'
• 7:57 It's the sound and the feeling
• 14:35 Classical guitar can also be a career
• 19:18 Prakash sees migration accelerating

Transcript

Prakash Gurung: 0:00

One day or another day I will make it, and I know that more than anyone. Because I am doing the work which I have to do to become better player or better musician.

Marty: 0:33

Hi everyone. Talking to Prakash Gurung made me realize that not all migrant workers from Nepal are leaving the country out of necessity. When I interviewed him last year, the 26-year-old told me about his failed migration attempts, as both a student and a migrant worker, but I got the sense that he had options in-country as well he just preferred the idea of leaving. I think there are many people in similar circumstances. They could find a job here at home, but believe that abroad they might be able to save more money, live in better conditions, or have more promising future prospects for themselves and or their family. One year later, Prakash has shelved his migration plans. In their place he has chosen an unusual path learning classical guitar. A guitar player since his teenage years. Prakesh says that playing classical requires much more discipline than playing and singing rock songs, including hours of daily practice. He's found a teacher to guide him on that journey. As you'll hear, Prakash is now talking about finding satisfaction and inner peace on his musical quest. This is a huge turnaround from the half-hearted pledges he was making when we talked in 2024 and a pleasant surprise to me. Please listen now to my conversation with Prakash Gurung. Prakash Gurung, welcome to Nepal Now: On the Move podcast.

Prakash Gurung: 2:12

Thank you very much, sir. It's been a while I haven't met you. I am very glad that we meet again.

Marty: 2:21

Me too. Thank you very much for doing this. It's been almost exactly one year since we met the first time. We had a quick chat downstairs, so I got a head start on learning about your life at the moment. This time, I'm not going to ask you to tell me your life story because we did that last time. And if, if people are interested, they can go and listen to the first conversation we had. But I'm, I'm going to very quickly summarize it in my question. So this question, you you grew up, you weren't born in Kathmandu, but you grew up in Kathmandu. Yes. You finished your. Grade 10. And then you also studied in college for a while. Yes. You really, really, really wanted to be a football player, but didn't work out. Yeah, absolutely. You were also, when I met you, trying, I had tried and I think we're still trying to go overseas either to work or to study. And you were kind of looking for something, I think you were looking for something to get I really involved in like really passionate about, you talked about doing different skills training. Yes. But I didn't have the feeling that you were really convinced that you were going to do that. Yeah. So there's the very quick introduction to your life up until one year before. So tell me now what's happening.

Prakash Gurung: 3:48

Currently I am totally on my different mindset, from before. At that time I was, you know, in a kind of complete what do we call, I was like finding my purpose in my life, and trying to figure out what is good for me, what can I do better. And I think I somehow find my purpose. I find music more fascinating for me and, you know, I was interested in music from my early childhood age and I've been playing guitar since my early teenage. So, that kicked me to pursue music and musical knowledge. And now it's like, I am into making music as my career. Yes. And the hustle is on.

Marty: 4:54

That's great. Last time, I'm sure I listened to one of your songs or two of your songs on YouTube. Okay. I was impressed. It was very good. That was more like folk rock kind of. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Typical. Nepali music, but it was very good. I was really impressed. But now you're doing something a bit different, right?

Prakash Gurung: 5:13

Yeah, it's totally different. I was, interested in, finger style, when I first began to. play my guitar. And later on I, I inquired and I try to gain more and more knowledge about finger style. And later on I found that the base and the origin of the finger style was classical guitar. And that blew my mind. And I was searching for a good music teacher and after quite some time, I asked with my senior brothers who are engaged in music field, is there someone who can teach me music about finger style'? One of my brother, whose name was Bimal Kawas, he was, aware of someone who was, I think, only the Nepali musician in Nepal, who has done a musical degree in classical guitar and, I think, in ethnomusicology. Through the help of my brother, I reached him, and I got connected to him. Then after that, I began to take lessons from him. His name is Kishore Gurung sir. He's one of the best musician in Nepal in term of classical guitar and musical degrees. And yeah, I am still doing classes from him. It's been like, almost one and a half year. And still I'm doing my basics.

Marty: 7:18

It's difficult, classical guitar.

Prakash Gurung: 7:20

Yeah, you have to read, you have to focus more, dedicate your time. I think it's kind of dedicating your life to music, not just playing as a hobby.

Marty: 7:38

So what is it about that particular style of music that you like? I understand it's, it's different. It's the, the fingering is, it sounds different. But is it something about the sound that comes out of that? Or is it... why are you choosing this one?

Prakash Gurung: 7:57

Definitely the sound, the texture and the warm of instrument makes us or affect us pretty much. The classical guitar is pretty soft instrument. And it is, like, more of a natural one. It's fully acoustic. No, like, artificial sound or... I haven't felt that, but the artist who play classical guitar, they said that the instrument feels like part of their body, when they are playing. And they also said that it's like expressing your emotion, not just from a guitar only, but from whole of your body and soul. That kind of conversation, that kind of sayings touch me very much, as I also want to express myself through my instrument and create what can I do

Marty: 9:14

Ahh, that's very deep. That's very profound.

Prakash Gurung: 9:17

Yeah. I want to connect with music, not only from just playing instrument but from inside and how I interact, how I intervene with the instrument.

Marty: 9:35

Is that something that you think of when you're practicing, or is the practicing just technical? Is it two separate things: you have the technical how to learn, how to finger and all of that and then what you just described: is that something that comes after or does it happen at the same time?

Prakash Gurung: 9:57

I think it doesn't happen at the same time, but we should learn techniques and we should know how the guitar sounds and how to manipulate the tones and the music. And after we mastered that technique, for some time, then after that I think we can express ourself through that instrument.

Marty: 10:28

Okay. Well, that's great. I'm happy for you that you found this passion that you're really enjoying. And you were telling me when we talked before that your practice, so you, you take your lessons twice a week and then you practice. Do you need to practice every day or?

Prakash Gurung: 10:44

As of me, I am practicing every day, like three, four hours nowadays. But, it is very important to practice and make your technique better and, and find your tone.

Marty: 11:02

That's very interesting because when we talked the first time, I, I did get the feeling that I think you even said in a way that you had tried a lot of things, but not really gave 100%. You hadn't committed to anything up until that point. But you, you're also a talented person because you played football at a fairly high level. I know that you didn't make it where you wanted, you didn't make the national team, but still you were playing at a fairly high level. You were already a good, a talented guitarist and singer because I heard you, so it was like you were just waiting for something to find that you could...

Prakash Gurung: 11:45

Yes, that's absolutely right. I was trying to find my way in that quest to find satisfaction and peace. I think I found that now and I'm totally into it to pursue music as my career and further identify myself as a musician in future.

Marty: 12:14

That's a big change, huh? So to get back to some of the things we talked about last time we talked a lot about you had tried to go overseas a couple of times and failed. Your brother had spent a lot of time overseas and had gone a second time. And he had really, I think, affected your life, as an example of how migration can be a big event and also a positive event. In the case of your family, your brother really, really helped the family a lot and, and I think that was a big influence on you in different ways. And also at that time, you were talking about going, again, maybe having an opportunity. You told me something that really struck me and I used it for the headline of the last podcast: going abroad is a tradition or migrating is a tradition in Nepal now, something like that. Meaning that all of your friends, people you knew, were going abroad. Have you completely given up on this idea now? What do you think about that?

Prakash Gurung: 13:26

I think for a couple of years I won't think about it, because I'm totally into pursuing musical knowledge for a couple of years. Maybe after some time, I don't know where the life goes, but I'm pretty sure I will do things, as much as possible in Nepal.

Marty: 13:53

I hesitate to ask this question because of the way you just talked about your music and it being more than, like you said, more than just a hobby, but something you are trying to dedicate yourself to with quite a deep commitment, passion, I think is fair to say. But do you think that one day you would be able to, like, make your living playing this music? Is that a goal? Or for now is is it more about the journey learning

Prakash Gurung: 14:29

Yeah, I think it got, the two aspect that you told me. It is also a musical journey as well as I can make a living by doing music that's quite, I dunno, possible. Possible. it's quite possible we can make a living from doing music. Not like high standard of living, but you can absolutely manage your life by doing music.

Marty: 15:02

Okay. And I, I, want to get back to the migration topics also, but I'm really fascinated by the music. So playing classical music, I think it's a western classical tradition. Do you think about playing that western classical type of guitar in a Nepali setting? Like, how does it relate to Nepali music history, culture? Or does that matter?

Prakash Gurung: 15:32

I think Western classical music is totally different from Nepal. We can do higher level of education in music field, but in Eastern part I think it's in developing stage. My teacher have got education from Hawaii, I think Hawaii University, from ethnomusicology and in classical guitar. So he have done research about Nepali music also, and he also have published music dictionary for understanding better of musical terms. Yeah, he's pretty much aware about the music scene of Nepal. He's in his sixties, I think. Still he's active, engaged in music learning and teaching students. He also do, live shows. Recently, we hosted eight artists, international artists, who are classical guitar player. And we host them in Kathmandu and successfully concluded guitar festival.

Marty: 17:02

Really? I didn't know about that.

Prakash Gurung: 17:05

Yeah, we didn't do a lot of promotion for that event, so I think not so many people were aware about it.

Marty: 17:18

Next time, tell me before.

Prakash Gurung: 17:19

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Marty: 17:21

That would be great. Kind of flipping back or widening the conversation again. So in your environment, your family, your friends, people you meet, what are they saying about you getting into guitar like this?

Prakash Gurung: 17:37

I think they are pretty positive, but somehow they find a way to consult me about making my life better, or just make more money. But somehow I am convincing them I'm doing my own stuff and I am fully into pursuit of musical knowledge for now.

Marty: 18:09

So they can see that you're serious, committed.

Prakash Gurung: 18:12

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.

Marty: 18:13

Your brother is still in South Korea?

Prakash Gurung: 18:15

Yeah. He's still...

Marty: 18:17

How does he feel about you doing guitar?

Prakash Gurung: 18:22

Actually, he was a bit unsatisfied with my decision. He was thinking about my better future. But I somehow expressed that I wanted to do music and give my time in music and, after some time, he's 'okay, you do your stuff. I don't mind'.

Marty: 18:57

Well that's great. Everyone has a different path and many people think that pursuit of money should be number one on your list. But, it's up to you, obviously, to decide that. What about your friends coming and going? Are people still leaving the country in large numbers? Has that changed at all?

Prakash Gurung: 19:19

There is absolutely no change. Rather than changing, more people are trying to go abroad. Usually I met a lot of people while doing my work, and I asked about their future plan. Most of the people said their intent is to fly abroad and earn money.

Marty: 19:46

And that hasn't changed since Trump became president in the US because that's quite a mess now what's happening in the US, right? They're deporting people, students are not even sure if they can get a visa to go. That doesn't worry people you talk to?

Prakash Gurung: 20:04

I don't think so. People are finding one way or another way. If one country is not possible, then they're trying another country. They are just trying to leave country for I think better earning, better future. That's up to them.

Marty: 20:23

As I've said before, it's just huge numbers and doesn't seem to be slowing down. And just to mention that you're still driving for Pathao, the ride sharing service, which is how we first met. I was one of your passengers long time ago, just over one year ago. So when you talk to people like this, they tell you that they're planning to go abroad, do you tell them like, 'ah, I was thinking about that, but now I'm doing this guitar thing, and I don't plan to go abroad'. Do you ever think you want to convince people to stay or you don't do that?

Prakash Gurung: 21:01

Not that often, but if someone is trying to do something in Nepal, I try to say them, 'okay, it's good. You can also do here'. But, usually I don't share my insights. I think they should know by themself more than suggestion by me because I'm also still trying to figure out what is best for me. So I think I'm in no position to consult them, saying things like, 'this is right, this is wrong'. I think this is totally up to them.

Marty: 21:43

And at the moment, you're able to make enough money to look after your own needs?

Prakash Gurung: 21:51

Yeah, yeah. I am making the needed earnings or money capital, for myself, and I think it's enough for me.

Marty: 22:05

How long before I might be able to go to one of your shows where you're playing classical guitar? How long will that take?

Prakash Gurung: 22:15

I think it is it's quite hard to tell. From now or one or two year I will be able to perform, in quite a professional way.

Marty: 22:28

That's a big commitment to say that I have to keep practicing for one or two years before I make a show. That shows that you're very serious about this.

Prakash Gurung: 22:38

Yes. I think we feel ourself that we are not ready for performance, and we by ourself will know when the times come and that we can, or we are able to perform.

Marty: 22:59

Do you think that people have confidence that you will succeed?

Prakash Gurung: 23:08

I don't know about the people, but I am pretty confident about myself. One day or another day I will make it, and I know that more than anyone. Because I am doing the work which I have to do to become better player or better musician. Yes, I'm doing my homework.

Marty: 23:38

Anything else, about anything about guitar, about Pathao, about migration, about anything?

Prakash Gurung: 23:46

I'm very glad that we met again. I hope we will meet again and again. Talking about music and classical music, the classical music in Nepal is totally, in, Kind of in the shadows. Yeah, in the shadows. We people are trying to reach more people and get more audience in the field of classical music in Nepal. And that's why we are bringing international artists and doing shows, hosting shows in Nepal. And I said earlier that we recently hosted, you know, international guitar festival And we also want to reach more people, more audience, and make them aware about classical music, classical guitar.

Marty: 24:51

Okay, great. Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to me. Nice to see you again and learn about this new inspiration that you have and passion. Thanks again.

Prakash Gurung: 25:04

I also want to thank you very much for inviting me for the second time on your podcast. And I'm very happy to share my thoughts and insight. This is also very great opportunity for me to express myself and give my insight about some musical awareness or musical scene in Nepal. Yeah, I'm, I'm very glad to be here.

Marty: 25:35

Thanks again to Prakash Gurung for taking the time, a second time, to come on the show and share his experiences so openly. Let me know what you thought of our chat. You can message me by clicking on Send a text in the show notes. Want more of these interviews? Sign up to be a supporter wherever you're listening, by clicking on the support the show link. I'll talk to you next time.