Dhankuta, May 16 -- The stage is set. Sujan Basnet positions himself behind his harmonium as his bandmates, Aditya Acharya on keyboard and Shital Parajuli on tabla, sit on either side. They start playing a tune that is starkly similar to Aruna Lama's timeless classic 'Eh kanchha malai sunko tara khasai deu na', but if you listen attentively, you will notice the romantic verses of the song have been replaced by 'Hai Krishna malai mitho bansi sunaideu na.'

Frontman Basnet, along with his band Puran Samuha, serenades the crowd with a few more numbers of such renditions-like 'Jhamke fuli nakai ma bulaki', 'Bhanchhan kohi jindagi yo karkala ko pani jastai', 'Dherai choti aankha judyo tara timi hasenau', 'Hai tulsi aagan ma ropaunla'. The band...