KATHMANDU: 

Santan haru kahan pugchan

Khola haru jasto

Aama huna sarai asajilo cha…

With this opening song, Nepal's popular folk rock band Nepathya entertained their audience at Manhattan Centre of New York on Saturday.

The band performed their evergreen numbers including Bhedako oon jasto, Chhekyo chhekyo, Lampate surati, Chari maryo, Jomsome bazaarma, Resham, Taal ko pani and Salaijo along with their new compositions Rama Rama, Koshiko and Timi pani Nepali, ma pani Nepali … Hami Nepali.

This edition of Nepathya's concert was interactive and equally eye-pleasing with the light show, Nepalaya, which manages Nepathya concerts, informed in a statement today.

During the performance, the band's frontman and vocalist Amrit Gurung expressed his love for mother Nepal, “In this race of establishing our ethnic identity, have we ever thought about our national identity being at risk? What I proudly say is – I am a Nepali first and then I am equally proud to be a Gurung.”

He even encouraged Nepalis living abroad not to forget the motherland and continue to contribute to the nation in whatever way they can.

The musical night ended with the song Rato ra chandra surya with the audience singing with the band.

The band ended the show and left the stage. But, the audience shouted "once more" forcing the musicians to perform Aganai Bhari as an encore.

Meanwhile, Nepali delegates for the 71st United Nations General Assembly led by Minister for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat and Nepal's Ambassador to the US Arjun Karki also attended the show.

Minister Mahat and Ambassador लाई जोग मिल्यो ... pic.twitter.com/7xP0sPKnMz

— NEPATHYA (@nepathya_band) September 25, 2016

The band would now perform in San Francisco on October 1, coinciding with Ghatasthapana to mark the start of Dashain festival here.