Ngawang Tashi Bapu
Encyclopedia
Ngawang Tashi Bapu also known as Lama
Tashi, is a former Principal Chant Master of the Dalai Lama
. A Monpa, Tashi was born in the Thembang
village of West Kameng
in Arunachal Pradesh
, India
and commenced formal study in 1985, at age 17. He is a multi-phonic chanter and has performed twice at the Carnegie Hall
in New York City
. Tashi has also performed with popular recording artists such as Natalie Merchant
, Michael Stipe
(R.E.M.
), Ben Harper
and Sheryl Crow
. Currently, he lives in Bomdila
and is the Principal of the Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Study, at Dahung in Bomdila.
Affectionately known as the Singing Monk
, Tashi was one of the nominees for the Best Traditional World Music
category at the 2006 Grammy Awards. On his nomination, Tashi said, "I do not have much knowledge of Western music although I love listening to Indian Hindi music and folk songs".
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
Tashi, is a former Principal Chant Master of the Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama is a high lama in the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" branch of Tibetan Buddhism. The name is a combination of the Mongolian word далай meaning "Ocean" and the Tibetan word bla-ma meaning "teacher"...
. A Monpa, Tashi was born in the Thembang
Thembang
Thembang is a very old village with a very high historical and cultural significance in West Kameng districts of Arunachal Pradesh. The old name of Thembang village is Yuchho-pema-chen. The settlement of this village is dated back to 100 AD. Initially the Thembang village was settled at Sat-tsi...
village of West Kameng
West Kameng
West Kameng is a district of Arunachal Pradesh in India. It accounts for 8.86% of the total area of the state. Under Chinese sovereignty claim, West Kameng falls under the jurisdiction of Cuona County of Shannan Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region...
in Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and commenced formal study in 1985, at age 17. He is a multi-phonic chanter and has performed twice at the Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Tashi has also performed with popular recording artists such as Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
, Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
(R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
), Ben Harper
Ben Harper
Benjamin Chase "Ben" Harper is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Harper plays an eclectic mix of blues, folk, soul, reggae and rock music and is known for his guitar-playing skills, vocals, live performances and activism. Harper's fan base spans several continents...
and Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
. Currently, he lives in Bomdila
Bomdila
Bomdila is the headquarters of West Kameng district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh in India.-Geography:Bomdila is located at . It has an average elevation of 2217 metres .-Demographics:...
and is the Principal of the Central Institute of Himalayan Culture Study, at Dahung in Bomdila.
Affectionately known as the Singing Monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, Tashi was one of the nominees for the Best Traditional World Music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
category at the 2006 Grammy Awards. On his nomination, Tashi said, "I do not have much knowledge of Western music although I love listening to Indian Hindi music and folk songs".