Sonic identity of the goddesses: musical instruments and sound objects in the Nava Durgā performance (Bhaktapur, Nepal)

The Nava Durgā are the nine manifestations of the Hindu goddess Durgā. In Bhaktapur (Nepal) among the Newar people, groups of men from the Banmālā caste have been reincarnating the goddesses in a masked performance since 1512. The Nava Durgā follows their own life cycle: they are reborn in October and die in June of following year. Four musical instruments are played during the dances: one two-headed drum dyokhin; cymbals tāḥ and kansa; and one pellet drum (ḍamaru). Moreover, belles are worn by the dancers and their sound represents the divine grace. The paper will firstly examine the above-mentioned instruments from organological and socio-religious standpoints, underlining the following three elements. 1) A black tuning paste (khari). In Newar tradition there are different drums on which the khari is applied, but this material is particularly connected to the Nava Durgā as it symbolises the goddesses’ life. When the Nava Durgā die in June, it is forbidden to play any kind of drum with the khari applied. 2) The cymbals kansa. This pair of cymbals is unique in the Nepalese culture because of their thin plates and unmistakable timbre. For devotees the timbre of kansa is that of the Nava Durgā. 3) The drum dyokhin. This instrument is the manifestation of the god of music Nāsaḥdyaḥ, who is incarnated in the body of every dancer and musician to make sure that the performance is conducted correctly (Ellingson 1990). Secondly, the paper will discuss the interconnected relationship between sound and dance. The correctness of a musical performance creates the condition in which the divine manifestation can be realized in the dance. From this point of view the sounds guide the movements of the body, while the dances express the sonic elements visually.