KATHMANDU: “When you see Bhairav Bahadur Thapaji dance, I believe you can’t help but admire him dancing.”

This is how Mahakabi Laxmi Prasad Devkota summed up his experience of watching the first dance director of Nepal Bhairav Bahadur Thapa dance.

These are poet Devkota’s words in Thapa’s autobiography titled Bhairav Lai Herne Aakhaharu.

And Devkota is not alone, the list includes legends like Bal Krishna Sama and Narayan Gopal, veterans like Satya Mohan Joshi and Ratna Shumsher Thapa.

There is no denying

that Thapa with his unmatched talent has been the most influential dancer of all time in Nepal.

“Dance, for me, is a symbolic expression and it has to flow with the rhythm,” said Thapa, who won hearts both at the national and international arenas with his moves and choreography.

wIn the realistic genre, the peacock dance, yak dance and jhankri dance got national and international recognition and are also among his favourites. “As for the folk dance, I like Maruni the best,” said Thapa.

From rifle to mudras: Born in 1989 BS in Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu, Thapa grew up in a family that was highly influenced by music. “My mother and sister were pianists,” said Thapa, who did his schooling from Benaras, India and maintains that an unexpected turn of events landed him in this profession, which earned him fame and respect.

“It was in 2005-6 BS and I was on a trip to Gorakhpur with my elder brother. I was hardly 17. At a railway station we came across this guy who was looking for a Nepali youngster to work as a clerk at the Gurkha Headquarters in Singapore. He persuaded my brother to let me go,” he said.

Thapa was recruited as a rifleman clerk in the Brigade of Gurkhas (GHQ) based in Singapore in 1950.

After serving for three years he had come to Nepal for a six-month-long holiday when he went to see the Nepal Kishan Party’s cultural programme at Bhurangkhel. He remembers how he was dressed in jeans, shirt, stylish belt and a hat that made him stand out in the crowd. “The great dramatist Bal Krishna Sama, Mahakabi Laxmi Prasad Devkota and Siddicharan Shrestha had come to the programme,” Thapa recalls. “The programme didn’t start on time so the audience started yelling and whistling. One of the organisers Nirmal Lama noticed me and told me to just stand on the stage to pacify the audience. I don’t know if he thought I was some kind of magician,” chuckles Thapa. “The organisers literally dragged me to the stage. Gupta Sen, a great Indian musician, played music and I did some steps of Malaya dance.”

Thapa had learnt the Malaya dance while stationed in Malaysia. According to him, the three-day cultural programme was extended by four more days “to entertain the audience with my dance”. Thus with this impromptu performance a great dancer was born

Bhairav Nritya Dal: His performance had left even dramatist Sama spellbound. His admiration is evident in these lines written by him in Thapa’s autobiography. “I saw Bhairav Bahadurji dancing the Malaya dance... and from the very same day I was inspired by his dancing skills.”

Sama even initiated the establishment of Bhairav Nritya Dal — the first cultural dance group of Nepal and Thapa served as its director.

Bhairav Nritya Dal that came into existence in 2010 BS performed in various national and international events. In 2030 BS, the group participated in the International Folklore Festival held in Schoten-Belgium, Germany, Yugoslavia and Switzerland and both the group and its director earned international recognition.

The festival organiser Hella Heynmelle even sent a letter of appreciation to king Birendra stating that Bhairav Nritya Dal was the first Asiatic group that had participated in the festival.

Lasting memories: While travelling with the group Thapa got the opportunity to meet some very influential world leaders like Mao Tse-tung, Yugoslavian President Marshal Tito, Queen Fabiola from Belgium and first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru, among others.

However, for him being greeted by the then Director General of UNESCO, Rene Maheu while in France for a performance, is one of his best memories.

“France had invited us to perform at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Maheu himself was there to greet Bhairav Nritya Dal. He waited at the entrance and shook my hands and gave me a bunch of flowers. I can never forget this moment of my life.”

Not just a dancer: Dancing is not Thapa’s only talent, he even has a flair

for writing. In 2022 BS Thapa published a school curriculum book Nepali Nritya Ra Saririk Prabeshika, while

in 2030 BS he published his collection of poems titled Dhoka. He has also penned two autobiographies — Hindhda Hindhdai Baneka Tasbir Haru and Bhairav lai Herne Akhaharu.

Last wish: Though he thinks he is now too old to choreograph, he still has one last wish. “Probably after a year I will direct an abstract dance on various themes,” said this 77-year-old master. “Since I am working on a variety of themes I want to work with international performers and musicians. I hope UNESCO will help me find international artistes,” added Thapa.