The Pain and Creativity of Expatriate Life: Ganesh Khadka's New Song

"You've gone so far, there is a path for those who walk, you left behind everyone dear, there is just soil for those who stay!"

These lines are the main refrain of the recently released music video, "Timi Pugyau Dherai Tadha" (You've Gone So Far). Poet, playwright, and lyricist Ganesh Khadka writes while living abroad.

The idea of collaboration came about when another musician and singer, Nabin Khanal, who also resides abroad, liked the lyrics. However, it took years to even start the recording process. Expatriate life is indeed the slave of compulsion, necessity, and circumstance.

Time is under the control of others, and life is mortgaged to others. Squeezing the remnants of a dependent lifestyle and mortgaged time to make oneself even slightly creative is a worthwhile thing for the sake of self-satisfaction. The song was finally recorded with the intention of not letting the written lyrics be unjustly neglected.

Musician Nabin decided to provide the male vocals himself. He was accompanied by singer Rajina Rimal for the female voice. The song was recorded, but in a time where people watch, not just listen, an audio-only version would not convey the song's completeness. The satisfactory audio eventually boosted the ambition to also create a video. Everyone's hearts aligned, a team was formed, and a loving musical endeavor achieved completeness.

The lyricist is in Seychelles, the musician in Dubai, and the singer, along with the rest of the music video team, is in Nepal. Radio colleagues from a previous era, Ganesh Khadka and Nabin Khanal, had collaborated on a few songs back when they were at Radio Nepal in the fifties.

Literary figure Ganesh Khadka, who has been writing drama, poetry, songs, ghazals, muktaks, stories, essays, and contemporary articles, has already released more than a dozen songs. Additionally, his drama collection and poetry collection, along with a few other edited books, have also been published.

Khadka, who has established himself as a writer and editor, is also the Central Vice President of the International Nepali Literary Society (INLS). The song tells a struggle-filled story of an inter-caste love relationship, ultimately concluding happily through mutual dedication and resolve, thus providing an objective truth and social message that love and life can both succeed. In the music video, Drishya Subedi and Rusha Neupane have given a vibrant performance.

The song features music arrangement by Rikesh Gurung, cinematography by Hari Humagain, and direction and editing by Shiva Puri. Currently, the song is receiving positive feedback and is being well-liked by the audience and listeners.

To fully grasp the song's entirety, it needs to be heard and watched completely. It was released on the lyricist's own YouTube channel, Ganesh Khadka, on December 12, 2025.