Shrestha, the creator of ‘Beniko Bazaar’ is no more

KATHMANDU: FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021 – Tika Bahadur Shrestha, the creator and singer of the song ‘Beniko Bazaar, Jata Maya Utai Cha Najar, Kiremire Jale Rumal’, which was popularly known as Beni, the district headquarters of Myagdi, has passed away.

Shrestha, who had been living in Rupandehi since his birthplace Myagdi, died at the age of 75 in Butwal on Thursday. Shrestha recorded the song ‘Beniko Bazaar, Jata Maya Utai Cha Najar’ on Radio Nepal in 2031 BS.

The song, sung by Shrestha’s wife Muna Chhantyal and composer Shrestha, is still in the news. Based on this song, Beni Bazaar is also known as the city of love.

Singer Shrestha, who has been suffering from kidney problems for a long time, was undergoing dialysis continuously. His demise has caused irreparable damage to the field of folk music, according to those in the field. Even though he was suffering from kidney problems, he was close to the best music industry. Shrestha, who knows how to play many instruments including tabla and harmonium, has been anonymous for the last one decade.

For the first time, Shrestha sang the song ‘Beniko Bazaar, Jata Maya Utai Cha Najar’ at the National Dance Hall in Kathmandu on the occasion of Democracy Day on Falgun 7, 2019 BS. Abir Kumar Shrestha, a veteran artist of Myagdi, said that the best couple’s song “Beniko Bazar Bol” was the first to surpass the artists from 14 zones of Nepal. Then the same song was recorded in 2031 BS on Radio Nepal.