Gurung

Gurung

Gurung are a hardly hill people living along the southern slopes of the

Annapurna Himalaya in west central Nepal. Their traditional territories extend

from Gorkha District east through Lamjung and Kaski to Syangja District, all

in Gandaki zone.

The most important source of Gurung family income is from the pensions and

salaries of those who become soldiers. A great majority of Gurungs join the

Indian and the British armies and go to various parts of India, to Malaysi, and

to England. A small number join the Royal Nepal Army. Only few take any

other kind of paid employment.

The Gurungs have a very interesting dance tradition. They used to have two

types of dance, sorathi and ghado. But in Kaski and Lamjung the sorathi is

dying out. There is a season for dancing, starting on Shripanchami day in

January and lasting through February, March and April until the day of

Chandipurnima.