2024, 66'
In Nepal, devagan refers to a collective of deities. This documentary, the outcome of six years of fieldwork in Bhaktapur, explores the ritual performance of Nava Durgā, a Hindu tradition practiced by the Newar people in the Kathmandu Valley. Since its emergence in 1512, the dancers and musicians—known as devagan—have been regarded as human incarnations of the nine manifestations of the goddess Durgā.
The film follows this layered ritual world through the stories of three devagans from the same family, inviting viewers into the heart of a cultural heritage that continues to endure and transform over time.
Award
2024 Best Documentary Film or Video Award, International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance
Official Selection
2025 RAI film festival, Royal Anthropological Institute
Screenings
25 September 2025 Buggiano Library, Buggiano
23 June 2025 Institut für Musikwissenschaft, Universität Wien
15 June 2025 RAI film Festival, Bristol
4 June 2025 the 17th International Congress of International Society for Ethnology and Folklore, Aberdeen
10 January 2025 48th world Conference for the International Council for Traditions of Music and Dance, Wellington
12 July 2024 3rd International Symposium of the ICTMD Study Group on Music and Allied Arts of Greater South Asia, Dhaka
20 May 2025 University of Florence, Prato
11 November 2024 University of Cagliari, Cagliari
4 March 2024 University of Bologna, Bologna
In 2024, Laxmi Prasad Banmālā and I created a short video to introduce the film Devagan. As the protagonist, he shared his reflections on the filmmaking process and on my fieldwork. It was a truly joyful moment to hear his feedback and that of the local community.
Clic here to watch the introduction
