On a bright sunny morning in 2012, I met the late unassuming maestro Mohan Gandharva, the last traditional arbaja player of Nepal. I had only seen a picture of this instrument in an obscure writing on the Internet five years earlier. The sound of this beautiful instrument left me awestruck. I could immediately see its immense potential in music production. I had spent the previous few years learning, documenting, and analyzing the music traditions of the Gandharvas across Nepal. Yet, I had never come across the arbaja. Although the seed of this album was sown when I first picked up the sarangi and wrote the song Sukha Dukha, began to take its shape in the long hours I spent documenting the playing and making techniques of the arbaja and sarangi in the beautiful hills of Badare and the gorges of the Kaligandaki.

The music and lyrics of this album reflect the tumultuous changes in the following decade of my life as I chased my dreams across the globe. I was seeking my own emancipation but I found my refuge and savior in music. , in a way, is my discovery of music as I heard it in my mind. The first single that I released for this album, Chetana, showcased local Nepali instruments interplaying with modern ones. It was so far removed from all the music I had ever heard and created, that once I had this music in a tangible form, there was no choice but to continue my experimentation. The songs in this album feature diverse acoustic instruments - the vocal and the main instrument in most have been recorded concurrently.

The lyrics of this album are deeply personal. Written during an era of my life when I was questioning my role in society, each song has a story. My greatest source of inspiration has always been my fellow Nepalis who have, time and again, shown dignity, compassion and kindness even in times of great adversity. You humble me and inspire me. I hope my music speaks to you as much as it means to me.