Anthem of Nepal

Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka
सयौं थुँगा फूलका
English: We are Hundreds of Flowers
Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka

National anthem of
   Nepal
LyricsPradeep Kumar Rai
Byakul Maila
MusicAmber Gurung
Adopted3 August 2007
Music sample
Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka
"Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka" (Nepali: सयौं थुँगा फूलका "Made of Hundreds of Flowers") is the national anthem of Nepal. It was officially declared as the national anthem of Nepal on August 3, 2007, amid a ceremony held at the conference hall of National Planning Commission, inside the Singha Durbar, by the speaker of the interim parliament, Mr. Subash Chandra Nemwang.[1][2][3] The previous anthem, Rastriya Gaan, had been adopted in 1962.

The lyrics of the National Anthem were written by the poet Pradeep Kumar Rai, alias Byakul Maila. The music is composed by Amber Gurung. The national anthem is simply worded, praising Nepali sovereignty, unity, courage, pride, scenic beauty, progress, peace, cultural and biological diversity, and respect.

LyricsEdit
Nepali lyrics
सयौं थुँगा फूलका हामी, एउटै माला नेपाली
सार्वभौम भई फैलिएका, मेची-माहाकाली।
प्रकृतिका कोटी-कोटी सम्पदाको आंचल
वीरहरूका रगतले, स्वतन्त्र र अटल।
ज्ञानभूमि, शान्तिभूमि तराई, पहाड, हिमाल
अखण्ड यो प्यारो हाम्रो मातृभूमि नेपाल।
बहुल जाति, भाषा, धर्म, संस्कृति छन् विशाल
अग्रगामी राष्ट्र हाम्रो, जय जय नेपाल।
Sayaű thűgā phūlkā hāmī, euṭai mālā nepālī
Sārwabhaum bhai phailiekā, Mechi-Mahākālī
Prakritikā kotī-kotī sampadāko ā̃chala,
bīrharūkā ragata le, swatantra ra aṭala
Gyānabhūmi, śhāntibhūmi Tarāī, pahād, himāla
Akhaṇḍa yo pyāro hāmro mātṛibhūmi Nepāla
Bahul jāti, bhāṣhā, dharma, sãnskṛti chan biśhāla
Agragāmī rāṣhṭra hāmro, jaya jaya Nepāla
sʌjʌũ tʰũɡa pʰulka ɦami, euʈʌi mala nepʌli
saɾvʌbʱʌum bʱʌi pʰʌilieka, metsi-mʌɦakali
pɾʌkɾitika koʈi-koʈi sʌmpʌdako ãtsʌlʌ,
viɾɦʌɾuka ɾʌɡʌtʌle svʌtʌntɾʌ ɾʌ ʌʈʌlʌ
dzɲanʌbʱumi, ʃantibʱumi tʌɾai, pʌɦaɖ, ɦimalʌ
ʌkʰʌɳɖʌ jo pjaɾo ɦamɾo matɾibʱumi nepalʌ
bʌɦul dzati, bʱaʃa, dʱʌɾmʌ, sãskɾiti tsʰʌn viʃalʌ
ʌɡɾʌɡami ɾaʃʈɾʌ ɦamɾo, dzʌyʌ dzʌyʌ nepalʌ
English translation
Woven from hundreds of flowers, we are one garland that's Nepali
Spread sovereign from Mechi to Mahakali
A playground for nature's wealth unending
Out of the sacrifice of our braves, a nation free and unyielding
A land of knowledge, of peace, the plains, hills and mountains tall
Indivisible, this beloved land of ours, our motherland Nepal
Of many races, languages, religions, and cultures of incredible sprawl
This progressive nation of ours, all hail Nepal
Loose Explanation
The following explanation is meant for capturing the true essence of the National Anthem:

"We Nepalis, from different lingual, racial, religious or cultural background are the individual flower of a whole garland of the Nepali race. We have always been sovereign and we are spread out from our territories of Mechi to Mahakali.

Blessed with Nature's millions gifts and blessed by the blood sacrificed by our Heroes, we are independent and are immovable - standing still with pride.

Nepal - the land where knowledge shines, the peaceful nation consisting of Terai, Hills and Mountains - is indivisible. It is our beloved motherland and we shall preserve its sovereignty at any cost.

A melting pot of diverse races, numerous languages and religions, Nepal is rich in its large diverse culture. We are a progressive people of the progressive nation and we don't look back - jai Nepal!"

HistoryEdit
After the unanimous decision on May 19, 2006, by the House of Representatives (Pratinidhi Sabha) of the Kingdom of Nepal, the old national anthem was suspended. The National Anthem Selection Task Team (NASTT) on 30 November 2006, selected poet Byakul Maila's (real name: Pradeep Kumar Rai) song as the new national anthem of Nepal. The new national anthem was selected from a total of 1272 submissions made from across the country. It was officially approved on 20 April 2007.[4]

On August 3, 2007, Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka was officially declared as Nepal's national anthem by the House of Representatives.

CriticismEdit
In the screening process, Byakul Maila was required to prove he was not a royalist and encountered difficulties when it was discovered that he had once edited a book of poetry that contained a contribution from the king.[5]

From Communists
Some of Nepal's Maoist rulers want a stronger, more revolutionary anthem akin to the communist international.[6]

From Democratic Forces
Many in Nepal's democratic opposition see it as a weak and purely Maoist anthem. It is often mocked as sounding like a comical folk song rather than a national anthem.