Kandara () is a musical band from Nepal. The band was founded in 1992 in Pokhara. The name of the band is derived from the Nepali word Kandara, which means a gorge or cave nestled within remote hills or mountains. The band has released five albums, and their music is of the folk-pop genre. Bivek Shrestha and Sunil Thapa are among the founding members of the band.
History
1990-2000 Kandara was founded in 1992 by the group of adolescents from Pokhara. The band were originally named "24 Carat," but then changed their name to "Kandara". The band's first album was "Chanchale Kanchi," released in 1994. The band gained popularity with the song "Hong Kong Pokhara" from their third album of the same name which released in 1998 and was written by Saru Bhakta Shrestha. The band have released several albums over the course of their career, with songs such as Hong Kong Pokhara, Lekaki Hey Maya, Bhedi Gothaima, Timi Pari Tyo Gauma, Tagaroma Rumal Rakhi, Bichara Ma, and Ke Pahad Ke Terai amongst the band’s most notable works. During the Nepalese Civil War, the band released Ke Pahad, Ke Terai, addressing the theme of unity in diversity.
2000-2025 The band took a long pause from music after the vocalist and co-founder, Bivek Shrestha, moved to the United Kingdom in September 2001. In 2006, the band released the album "Barshaun Pachi," and 10 years later, the band released their most recent album "Bhedi Ghotaima." For their 32nd anniversary, the band released a new song, ‘Hunechha: The Song of Hope’, which was launched by K. P. Sharma Oli then prime minister of Nepal. To mark the occasion, Kandara also began a tour titled "Pahile Ghar Desh, Ani Pardesh," As a part of this tour, they performed in places such as their home town Pokhara, to an audience of 10,000, and in London on 6 January 2025 at the Indigo at The O2.
The band announced its upcoming album, '"Kavis Sanga Kandara"', at an event held in Kathmandu.
Band members
Current band members
Current members of the band are; Bivek Shrestha (Vocalist) Sunil Thapa (Drum) Dev Lama (Guitar) Pankaj Jha (Bass) Avinash Gayak (Percussion) Neil Ghatani (Keyboard) Sandesh Muzo (Guitar) Simon Tajhya (Sound Engineer) Nabin Thapa (Technical Specialist)
Former band members Buddharaj Bajracharya Deepak Raj Mulmi Sunil Bhattachan Bijay Gurung Amar Gurung Sadeep Tulachan
Musical style Kandara's songs are often referred to as folk-pop, which is a blend of Nepali folk style and pop music. The Band’s musical style also carries elements of mellow soft rock and contemporary pop. The band has collaborated with poets and lyricists including Saru Bhakta Shrestha, Binod Gauchan, and Ramesh Shrestha.
Discography
+ Year Album or Single 1994 Chanchale Kanchi (Debut Album) 1996 Danda Pari 1998 Hong Kong Pokhara 2006 Barsau Pachhi 2016 Bhedi Gothaima 2024 Bichara Ma (Single) 2025 Hunechha: The Song of Hope (Single)
Awards and recognition + Year Category Award 1995 Winner Bit Contest 1997 Best Performance by a Group or Duo with Vocal Hits FM Music Awards 2010 The Best Rock Band award Hits FM Music Awards 2016 Album of the Year “Bhedi Gothaima” Hits FM Music Awards
Concerts + Date/Year Program Place 1996 Kandara Live Butwal, Nepal 1990s Hong Kong shows (iconic connection) Hong Kong July 2018 Kandara USA Tour America Oct 4, 2024 Return gig Dharan, Nepal Nov 9, 2024 Kathmandu Calling Kandara Kathmandu, Nepal January-July 2025 Global tour United Kingdom, Dubai, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, USA/Canada, Europe Jan 4, 2025 Kandara: Live at Indigo at O2 London, England Jan 30, 2025 Kandara: Live Hong Kong March-April, 2025 Nepal Festival 2025 Australia
See also
Music of Nepal Nepathya
References