Source of Energy

AMBAR GURUNG

Ambar Gurung is a towering musician in Nepal. Born to a Lahure (Army) family in Darjeeling, India, in 1937, Ambar has had a keen interest in music since early in his life. Ambar took to music with the encouragement of his mother. He first entered Nepal around 1968 and composed music for 30 years as a staff member at the Nepal Academy. He is equally busy composing music today., and his music invigorates the souls of Nepalese living in different parts of the world.

Source of Energy

The wise say the first step to excel in any field is to think positively. My life was a struggle when I was young, and I did not have the least idea of what either positive or negative thinking was. I did not exactly have negative feelings that things were unattainable, but I cannot say exactly when positive took root in me. Somewhere along the way, it did and it changed my life. A person with a negative attitude cannot create.

When I was young, my musical journey began with positive thinking. There weren’t music gurus or schools or books in those thimes. Music was a forbidden fruit in many homes. There was a misconception that music would spoil children. However, I was not put off by these ideas.

I remember being surprised at seeing others play music simply by looking at notations on paper. I wished that one day I would also be able to do a similar thing. As a result of my resolve and unflinching commitment to music, I learned how to read and play music. In fact, I have been able to give music lessons to so many people. I am not being proud in saying this. The realm of music is infinite and transcends all boundaries. Imagination is indispensable for creativity.

In 2005, I met my old music teacher, Kashinath Sharma. We had a long talk about life’s ups and downs. My teacher began by saying, “Ambar you have made us so proud. You have such a great name in Nepali society.” I took it lightly and made a quick remark, “There is only a name, but not much money!” My teacher was unhappy with this attitude. He instantly replied, “Is money more important than your reputation, Ambar? When I was your teacher earning a living was tough. I couldn’t imagine buying a new coat. Today I receive 15,000 rupees in pension. I have a small house, all my children can make their own living. I can now afford to have good food and buy the clothes I like. And even though I can now buy the choicest of food, I cannot digest it properly. But your fame has touched the zenith. Is that nor an achievement?”

The moving words brought tears to my eyes and those of my teacher, too. Many years down the road, I had received a poignant dose of positive thinking from Kashinath sir, my teacher.

           By the grace of opportunity, I happened to read the writings of authors like Dale Carnegie, Swet Marden, and Norman Vincent Peale. The writers not only believed in positive thinking, but they also advocated positive thinking. I learned that my struggle was the first tier of the ladder. Anyone with positive thinking is able to climb this eternal staircase of life because positive thinking creates that energy to persevere. This is the realization of my life, my belief.