Gunla Bajan

Gunlā Bājan (Newar: गुंला बाजं) is Buddhist devotional music played by the Newars of Nepal. "Gunla" is the name of the tenth month in the Nepal Sambat calendar, which corresponds to August in the Gregorian calendar and "bajan" means "music" and "music playing group". Gunla is a sacred month for the Newar Buddhist community when they recite the Buddhist scriptures and visit places of worship playing devotional music. The practice of observing the sacred month is descended from the rains retreat dating from the Buddha's time when monks are to stay in one place and taught the Dhamma to the locals during this period.