Playing guitar, making music and singing to the tune is what Arun Lama has been doing so far. This 22-year-old, musician hailed from Dolakha. He arrived in Kathmandu when he was a 12-year-old boy as his parents got apart. Arun struggled a lot in the past. When he was 10-year-old, he used to carry bricks and cement after school. Instead of choosing higher education after grade 10, he chose to work.
He worked in a hardware shop for three years and in a clothing store for more than a year. Even then, he continued doing music by playing guitar at restaurants or bars at night. His love for guitar began when he was studying in grade eight. He recalled, “My elders in the family told me I sang beautifully during my childhood. And I got influenced by my friends to pick guitar as my instrument. We practiced guitar together. One day, when I was in grade nine I found Rs 10,000 at home. And without thinking about whose money was that I rushed toward guitar store and bought my first guitar.”
The 6 strings
Now, Arun is a back vocalist and the rhythm guitarist for the band The Flying Spirit, formed in 2014. He has released his first single ‘Jun’ on youtube on March 9. He has now left his day jobs and is playing his guitar at Roots Bar. " Before I started playing in the bar, I used to save money and go to music bar just to hear the music. I still remember a day when I and my friend slept under peepal tree at New Road because it was night and we missed our bus," said Arun.
Arun is also active in social work. He with Jharana Gurung runs a project ‘Maya’ that provides food to children from Disabled Rehabilitation Center (DRC). They also give music classes and guitar to children. This young lad empathy to them inspired to work in project Maya. He added, “Somehow I felt for these kids. Though having parents I never understood my parents love for me and always felt alone. I want to give them what I have. And whenever I play for them, I find peace within.”
