New Nepali national anthem by November

 

A new national anthem, which will incorporate the feelings of the Jana Andolan and will also honour the country's natural and ethnic diversity, will be prepared by November-end, Satya Mohan Joshi, the coordinator of the National Anthem Selection Task Force, told media persons on Tuesday. "We are working on a war-footing. We have already received over 700 songs, but are extending our working period so as to include more songs in the historic competition," Joshi said. Though many songs are good, they are either too long or too complicated or do not carry the sentiments of the people's movement and represent the people's mandate, he said, adding, "We want to select a song, which represents the people and the country they live in." Joshi is a member of the 14-member task force formed under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. However, he said he himself would not submit his creation for the contest. According to Modnath Prashrit, another member of the task force, the song should carry the sentiments of the people and their feeling towards their honoured motherland; highlight geographic diversity, natural beauty and ethnic glory. According to him, the previous national anthem needed to be replaced with a new one because it only admired the king, neglecting the deeds, glory and ability of the people in general. After selecting the song with the best lyrics, the task force will concentrate on turning it into a masterpiece of music, members of the task force said.