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Nepali folk song: Resham Firiri

About this recording

Creator

Kristin Post

Date created

October 2000

Duration

2:11

Location

Pashupatinath, Nepal

File

MP3

License

This recording copyright ©2000. Terms of use

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• Search LEARN NC for folk music, language, Nepal, Nepali, Pashupatinath, singing, songs, and tradition.

In the classroom

Nepalis love singing folk songs, and this is by far their favorite. This is a recording of me and a Nepali guide, Tej, singing a very popular folk song, “Resham Firiri.” Once you listen, you may be able to understand why it is such a popular song among the young and old.

You might also tell by my laughing that I did not know the pronunciation very well. My friend Tej and Ajit wrote down the words in the English alphabet to the best of their ability (the Nepali alphabet is much closer to Hindi, and does not match the Latin alphabet). This was helpful, but not foolproof.

Try to sing along yourself with lyrics taken from the Internet:

Resham Firiri
Resham Firiri
Udayra Jauki Dadama Vanjyang Resham Firiri
Resham Firiri
Resham Firiri
Udayra Jauki Dadama Vanjyang Resham Firiri
Resham Firiri
Resham Firiri
Udayra Jauki Dadama Vanjyang Resham Firiri
Udayra Jauki Dadama Vanjyang Resham Firiri

Ak nalay Banduk Doenalay Banduk Mirgalai Takayko
Ak nalay Banduk Doenalay Banduk Mirgalai Takayko
Mirgalai Mailay Takayko Hoina Mayalai Takayko
Mirgalai Mailay Takayko Hoina Mayalai Takayko

From my journal:

Tej, Ajit and I hang out and I do some traditional dance. I learn the “donkey/monkey” song, and Dwiali song. Snack with a kid “holy man,” and watch the monkeys play on the temple and electrical lines, begging people for food.

[note: I call it the “donkey/monkey” song because that’s what some of the lyrics sounded like to me before I ever saw them written down. I could not find a full translation, but it seems to be a love song, not a song about animals.]