An anthology of songs by the venerated late singer Panna Kaji Shakya, titled Swarnim Gitilahari: Swar Haruma Pannakaji, was released amid a function held in the Capital, marking the singer’s first death anniversary. The mayor of Kathmandu, Bidasundar Shakya as well as veteran musicians, Ratna Samsher Thapa and Yadav Kharel were guests of honour at the function, where Mayor Shakya went on to eulogise the singer, stating that Panna Kaji’s songs would live on.

The book is comprised of music, lyrics, as well as the storied background behind each of the songs. Of the over 400 songs by the singer, 44 are included in the book, including popular numbers such as Tiriri Murali Bajyo Banai ma, Kina Kina Timro Tasbir, Lolayeka Ti Thula, Ama timilai, and Ma hu Sarabi.

Musical scores for the book were done by Raju Simha, the background to each of the songs was written by Satosh Parajuli, and Hem Bhandari had served as editor. Panna Kaji’s son as well as publisher of the book, Pratim Man Shakya, said that it had been his father’s wish to compile his various songs and lyrics in a single book. “As he does not get much airplay anymore, we have included the musical scores to his songs in an effort to introduce his music to the youth,” Shakya added.  Panna Kaji died last year at the age of 83 and had been a part of the nationally-syndicated radio station, Radio Nepal, between 2008 BS and 2040 BS.

Musician and a son of Panna Kaji’s, Prawesh Man Shakya, reminisced about how his father had always stressed on the importance of studying music as well as gaining an education aside from it, as an income based on music had always been meagre in the past. According to his sons, Panna Kaji’s interest in culture extended to painting as well as theatre. He was also an avid WWE fan who continued to watch wrestling till his dying day.

In his youth, Shakya had been interested in bodybuilding. Founding member of Praja Parishad Party and professional bodybuilder and martyr Dharma Bhakta Mathema had been ‘Guru’ to him. Politics had been another early interest of Shakya’s, and during the Rana era he had been an affiliate of the Nepali Congress Party. “He was even arrested once and had shared a jail cell with (author) Diamond Samsher,” Prawesh Man recalled at the event. Though once an affiliate of Congress, Panna Kaji later became a favourite of King Mahendra’s and had enjoyed the king’s patronage. He even lent his voice to many of Mahendra’s songs.