I am Biswaz Gurung, though many of you also know me as Balaram. I am a lifelong admirer of Bhuwan Thulung Rai, a gifted composer, musician, and singer whose songs have deeply touched our Bhutanese-Nepali community.

Recently, I had the privilege of meeting him online through Facebook Messenger, introduced by our respected senior tabla player, Mr. Dilip Bhujel. During our conversation, Mr. Dilip and Keshar Bhattarai (another great fan) shared his heartfelt desire to help Bhuwan Rai raise funds to record his songs — a wish that perfectly matched Bhuwan Rai’s own dream of preserving his life’s work.

We presented this idea to his relatives in the USA, the Thulung family, who responded with great enthusiasm and support. They expressed their commitment to actively participate in this initiative, as it aligns with their own aspirations.

This campaign is born out of that shared vision. Together, we can ensure that his nearly 1,000 songs — a treasure of our culture — are recorded, archived, and passed on to future generations.

“If I die, my songs will die with me.” – Bhuwan Thulung Rai

This is the heartfelt appeal of Bhuwan Thulung Rai, a 69-year-old Bhutanese-Nepali composer and lyricist whose songs have carried generations through joy, pain, and exile. Yet, the world has not heard most of his music.

His Story

Bhuwan Thulung Rai is a beloved name among Bhutanese-Nepali communities. His most recognized composition, “Akashai Ma Chil Hoina Besara” (sung by his nephew Mahesh Thulung), continues to echo wrorlwide everywhere. Other popular songs such as Dhakamaka saipatri phulyo, Chithi lay yo man firena, Benayo Ra Marchunga le, and Bihe garney mero dhoko were once staples of stage programs, Deusi-Bhailo nights, and refugee camp performances.

But here is the tragedy:

He has composed nearly 1,000 songs — yet most remain unrecorded.

These melodies live only in fleeting memories. Unless preserved now, they risk being lost forever.

His Life Today

At 69 years old, Bhuwan Rai lives in Dharan, Nepal. Life has tested him deeply: His wife tragically drowned in a river years ago. He raised five children: Two sons – Puran (living in the USA) and Ashik (studying in India); three daughters – Srijana (currently in the USA), another daughter (21, working in Dubai), and his youngest (11, in Nepal).

Despite family scattered across the world, he lives quietly, holding onto his music like a treasure chest of unspoken stories.

He fears that when he passes, his 1,000 songs will vanish with him.

His Appeal

Bhuwan Thulung Rai wants nothing more than to record and share his music — either in his own voice or through others. He dreams of leaving behind a living archive of his art, something his children, grandchildren, and the wider Nepali community can cherish forever.

He appeals to all music lovers, cultural preservers, and supporters of Nepali heritage:

Help ensure that his life’s work is not buried with him.

Our Mission

Through this crowdfunding effort, we will:

Professionally record his songs – preserving both his voice and compositions.

Collaborate with artists – giving new singers the chance to reimagine his melodies.

Create a permanent archive – a digital and physical collection that will keep his music alive for generations.

Why It Matters

Music is memory. Music is heritage. When a song is lost, an entire story is erased.

Bhuwan Rai’s compositions are not just personal works — they are reflections of refugee life, diaspora struggle, and Nepali identity. By supporting this campaign, you are saving almost 1,000 unwritten histories.

How You Can Help

Donate generously — every contribution directly funds recording, production, and preservation.

Share this campaign — spread the word in your community and networks.

Stand with Bhuwan Rai — become part of the legacy that saves his music for the future.

Together, We Can Make His Dream Come True

Let us not wait until silence takes away his songs. Let us act now, so that when Mr. Rai looks back on his life, he knows his music will live on — sung, cherished, and remembered.

“I have almost 1,000 songs. I do not want them to die with me. I want them to live in the world.” – Bhuwan Thulung Rai

Donate today. Share today. Be part of this historic preservation of music and memory.