Books and Culture

Truth is often stranger than fiction and the best example is Ulaar – a modern classic. 
The novel Ulaar — meaning the rearing up of a cart in Nepalgunj’s local language — is as much about politics as it is about human relationships, friendship and love. Politics is dominant in poor countries like Nepal and Ulaar portrays how such politics destroys peoples’ lives by creating imbalances in their lives.
Nayanraj Pandey has been successful in creating a local ambience in Ulaar that is a modern classic. Full of sights, scents and sounds of Nepalgunj — a mid-western Nepali town — it is unfortunately one of the political centres where one can find many Premlalawas and Draupadis.
Amazingly, Draupadi’s childhood name was Sita. After her mother takes ill, Sita gives continuity to her mother’s profession as a prostitute and changes her name to Draupadi. How Sita in course of time became Draupadi is a satire aimed at our rights’ advocates.
Nepalgunj was not so beautiful before reading Ulaar. However, after reading Ulaar people will love Nepalgunj more as the novel takes us on a journey right into the heart of this rugged town.
Premlalawa’s horse dies due to the cart going Ulaar and he turns to Rajendraraj, a shrewd politician and his mentor and guru, for help. The Rajendrarajs and Shantirajas — the unpopular faces of Nepali politics — promise him help like they do everyone, mechanically.
He is asked to follow Shantaraja to Kathmandu. Premlalawa goes in tow to Kathmandu. But Kathmandu is yet another silent killer, always in search of prey like Premlalawas. After he witnesses the ugly face behind the colourful facade of Kathmandu, Premlalawa returns. He escapes from the monster called Kathmandu and returns to his town where his Draupadi is waiting for him.
Premlalawa, at last, revolts, though silently, against not only Kathmandu — the power centre but also against power crazy politicians, the Shantarajas and Rajendrarajs, and the system.
Pramlalawa sells his land worth Rs 90,0000 for only Rs 30,0000 and starts life afresh with his Draupadi. He vows that he will never give a free ride to the crooked politicians or their families.
Premlalawa — the protagonist of the novel — a cart-driver is sucked into the vortex of troubles by current politics and politicians but he does not surrender. Instead, he vows to fight back.
After a long while we have a novel — Ulaar — that is worth discussing as it captures the interaction of individual lives in the mid-western Nepali town of Nepalgunj.
Nayanraj Pandey’s deft use of words as well as locally spoken slang help create the rich texture of the novel.

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Book - Ulaar (A novel)
Poet - Nayanraj Pandey
Publisher - Fine Print Inc
Price - Rs 90
Pages - 80

The needle of the clock was
moving too fast,
Time had no time,
……….

Indeed time has no time and the old Professor Sharmas are being replaced by new Professor Sharmas. There is a huge difference between the old Professor Sharmas and new Professor Sharmas, yet at the same time there is no difference at all. The change is merely for the sake of change that time has forced upon us.
Neither the Professor Sharmas have changed nor the students. Yesterday also students used to set fire to the departments in the University and today also they have not stopped doing so. Today, their parents also have started bashing up the teachers and it’s anyone’s guess what the students — the children of these parents — will do tomorrow.
Poet Viplav Dhakal has woven the words in his poem ‘Professor Sharma ko Diary’ with as much skill and patience as a weaver strings together a piece of cloth; a beautifully work of art and craft. Maybe, it’s because he has seen that life, and lives that life.
Professor Sharma’s diary of 30 years is lost and so is his entire world of pseudo intellectualism. He has so dependent on his diary that in the absence of the diary he cannot face his students. The poet through the students challenges his professorship. “What is the difference between the university and buffalo-shed?” — the students ask professor Sharma. Has our university really turned into a buffalo-shed? No one has the answer.
Be what may, Professor Sharma will not die. He may disappear for the time being but he will come back again from his grave and start chasing the new Professor Sharmas. He will continue haunting us as long as our old mindset does not change enough to accept the reality that we are human robots operated by some old sutras in the manual — Professor Sharma’s diary.
Professor Sharma has taught many of us and we are no better than his carbon copies. May be there is a cultural defect. It is a satire that the young poet of this generation depicts of our education system — a system that needs complete overhaul.
Professor Sharmako Diary depicts the reality of our times. The poet is successful in depicting our time and its naked truth. There are very few poets in this generation, and  Dhakal is one of them, who dare sympathise and yet at the same time reject the plight of old Professor Sharmas and lampoon the new Professor Sharmas.
New Professor Sharmas are always fearful of the return of the old ones. This fear pyschosis has to be cured. The sooner the better !

…………
If old Professor Sharma is successful
in getting his old diary back,
what the new Professor Sharmas
will do from tomorrow?

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Book — Professor Sharma ko Diary (A long poem)
Poet — Viplav Dhakal
Publisher — Kaal Chakra Nepal
Price — Rs 55
Pages — 52

Capitol Hill is a collection of stories of Nepalis in
America - the land of dream for most of us. Rajab has, in this collection of 11 stories, portrayed the migrant Nepalis and their dreams, sufferings and musings, in the United States.

The collection gives us glimpses of the Nepalis and their life in the dream land. The educated but frustrated mass still flocks to the dream land but there is a vast gap in between life in the US and Nepalis dreams. Still Uma - a reader in the Tribhuvan University back home - continues to work as a babysitter in the US forcing a reader to think why is she compelled to do what she is doing in the US.

Similarly, the characters — Carlo Roshi aka Kashinath Joshi, Babukaji or the old grandpas — have more or less realisation of the stark reality of the American life. But back home their dreams are shattered. They have no present in Nepal and no future in the US. Unlike Nepali society, the American society is more individualistic where people do not trust people but animals.

Readers will enjoy the stories in Capitol Hill as Rajab’s characters speak like man on the street around us. His description is not lengthy and complicated. Capitol Hill is a canvas where Rajab has painted the American life in black and white.

Readers will enjoy these stories as they find themselves in the characters. In contemporary Nepali literature, Capitol Hill is one of the best short stories collections.

 

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Book: Capitol Hill

Author: Rajab

Publisher: Orchid Books

Pages: 132

Price: Rs 160

Orchid Books has brought Dr Dhruba Chandra Gautam’s novel Ek Asafal Aakhyanko Aaranbha (Beginning of an unsuccessful story) that happens to be the author’s 20th novel.
Gautam, the prominent fiction writer in Nepali literature, has portrayed the Nepali literary world and its characters; authors, poets, their rivalry, pain and sorrow. The story revolves around the middle class society and the literary circle of which the author himself is representative. Gautam knows better the world where he lives in and he seems honest enough in every details of ‘his circle’, though his characters make readers increasingly confused throughout the novel.
The story begins with two unemployed writers; author himself and his friend. With no money to live a decent life, these writers like any others, are envious of the bureaucrats as they are traditionally considered the well-off genre due to opportunities they get to monetize the situations.
The setting of the novel is pre-and post Janaandolan II. About halfway through Gautam’s novel, the story slows down on unnecessary details but its still fun to read due to his black humor or dark comedy. Though, he is not the only one to use it in Nepali literature, he has mastery over this sub-genre of comedy and satire where topics and events that are usually treated as serious or taboo are instead treated in a humorous or satirical manner.
The characters in this 36th book of his are lively as usual. His characters have picked the tongue from our FM radio stations that use — neither Nepali nor English — a mixed tongue.
One of the fundamental challenges in fiction lies in creating compelling, realistic characters and he is somewhat successful in it as some of his characters are real, though others seem very fictional.
———
 

BOOK REVIEW
Book: Ek Asafal Aakhyanko Aaranbha (Beginning of an unsuccessful story)
Author: Dr Dhruba Chandra Gautam
Publisher: Orchid Books
Price: Rs 300

The annual Neel Barahi - the ferocious form of the Goddess - dance festival has begun in Bode of Madhyapur Thimi in Bhaktapur. The festival lasts for three days and four nights. A total of 89 persons take part in the traditional dance festival. Those participating in the dance cannot eat anything or talk to anyone during the festival. Likewise they cannot use umbrellas in case of rainfall and they can”t even go to the nature’s call.
Likewise, the light and torch lit for the festival cannot be put off throughout the period.
Brahi is the most ferocious form of the Goddess with a head of an animal - Baraha.
Neel is the colour blue that is symbolic to the destruction. The Neel Barahi is thus the Goddess that protects oneself from the enemies and natural calamities.
the Goddess is more famous among the tantrick cult - a non-vedic but power cult that believes in the nature.

• Kuber Chalise
  

Saraswati maya dristwa Vina Pustak Dharani,
Hansa Wahan Samyukta Vidya-danam Karo tu me,

“I saw the Mother Goddess- Saraswati, who rides on swan, has four arms; representing Manas- the mind, Buddhi- the intellect, Chitta- consciousness and Ahankara- the ego. She holds Vina – her favourate musical instrument, a book and a rosary. She is the embodiment of pure knowledge.
Oh Mother! Please bestow me the knowledge and wisdom.”

According to the Lunar calendar, Magh sukla panchami, the fifth day of the bright half of Magh, is celebrated as the Saraswati Puja by all the Hindus the world over.

Who is Goddess Sawarawati?

Purush or Parabrahma the eternal male factor and Prakriti – the universal feminine energy has created this Universe- the Brahmanda. To help the male benevolent factor in the process of creation, preservation and destruction – the Prakriti incarnated herself in three forms –Mahasaraswati, Mahalaxmi and Mahakali. Among them the first form Mahasaraswati, the omnipresence and omnipotence, is the symbol of creation, knowledge, music and fine- arts. She is the supreme reality and symbolises supreme knowledge. Thus Saraswati is the Goddess of learning, knowledge, wisdom the consciousness.

The day marks the change in season also; the spring – Basant starts from this day. From this day onwards the days are longer. All the creatures suffering from the cold in winter slowly crawl outside in the warmth of spring sun. The winter stricken trees sprout new leaves and the nature is once again lively.

According to the Bhabisya Purana - an ancient Hindu scripture, in ancient times this day was also celebrated as Basanta-Utsav by worshipping Kamadev and his consort Rati- the divine couple created by Brahma – the creator, to inspire all the living beings for creation. But once Kamdev tried to seduce Lord Shiva, the Lord of all Lords and the Lord being angry destroyed his body. Thenceforth Kamdev and Rati inspire all the beings incorporeally in Basant – spring season.

The aristocrat ladies used to celebrate Basant-Utsav by worshipping –the statue of Kamdev and Rati as Nritya-Gosthi and Pan-Gosthi, –throwing colours and scents, singing songs and dancing. The modern society has lost the charm of those ancient Madanotsav, Kaumudi-Mahotsav and Salabhanjhi-Mahotsav.

In Kathmandu , Saraswati Puja had more significance because this day, the famous Basantapur Durbar was inaugurated and in the courtyard, Nasalchowk, the King used to audition the special Basant Shrawan ceremony. The tradition existed till last year. The King used to oversee a ceremony in Nasal Chowk, in the presence of the royal courtiers, bureaucrats and the Nepal army. The royal priest recites the selected verses from the Sanskrit Book Geet-Govinda-Kabya written by a Sanskrit poet Jayadev in Basant Raag, describing the Raslila between Lord Krishna and his Gopinis. Then the court’s musicians sing hymns. This day onwards Basant Raag can be heard in every ward of Kathmandu .

The students on this day visit different Saraswati temples in the valley. The Saraswati temple at Swayambhu, Nil Saraswati at Lazimpat and Lele Saraswati in Lalitpur are the most famous temples students visit on this day in Kathmandu .

The Buddhists in Kathmandu celebrate this day as the day of arrival of Maha Manjushree in Kathamandu. Hindus worship the Saraswati of Boudhanath and the Saraswsati of Swayambhu as Goddess Saraswati and the Buddhists worship the same idol as Mahamanjushree, a typical religious harmony found only in Nepal among the Hindus and the Buddhists. Thus Saraswati Puja also symbolises the deep-rooted unity in diversity of Nepalese culture.

 

A joyous ride

Shree Krishna Gautam, a retired bearcat has authored his sixth book Maldivesko Prem Katha Ra Anya Yatraharu (a lovestory of Maldives and other travels). Writing travelogue, a least written genre in Nepal literature, has been recently picking up in Nepali language, as it’s the author’s third travelogue.

This small book gives a reader a joyous ride to almost all the major cities in the world from Paris to Washington, Petersburg, New York, London, Colombo, Maldives, Busan, Seoul, Tehran, Osaka, Tokyo, Hanoi, Rome, Bangkok to Beijing.

In Tehran, the author seems to have found a lost connection - in the development of our civilisation - between Iran and Nepal. His confessions about the Iranian beauties and experiences seem true to his heart.

The book that has 20 travelogues is a worth read in one sitting.

……………….

BOOK REVIEW

Book - Maldivesko Prem Katha Ra Anya Yatraharu (a lovestory of Maldives and other travels)

Author - Shree Krishna Gautam

Publisher - Sajha Publications

Price - Rs 75

Pages - 82

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Blowing the ashes

Niguroko Kharani, ashes of a fern, a collection of four-long poems, is Tanka Uprety’s fourth poetry collection.

Long poems generally loose their charm till they reach the end, but its not the case with this collection. The poems, the most written genre in Nepali literature, are the representatives of our present and past. The poet has developed his own style that they look like a long poem but at the same time they could be fragmented and still make sense.

His poems protest against betrayal and they also challenge the regime. They are bitter but yet sober. They are long but not boring to read at the same time, because it seems he has embedded many hykus (three-liner poems) into one long poem.

In Uprety’s poems, a reader can find many metaphors like Birupakchhya, who represents regressive forces, Yalamber, a character from the mahabharat is a mute spectator, Jalkhumbhi, a water hyacinth is a vicious network and Niguroko Kharani itself represents the unfulfilled wishes. With so many metaphors, he is confused himself;

I’m thinking

Who is living

With my face (Yalamberko Shikar)

……………………

BOOK REVIEW

Book - Niguroko Kharani (Long narrative poems)

Author - Tanka Uprety

Publisher - Sarbada Bangmaya Prathisthan

Price - Rs 75

Pages - 72

Gurung community, the people of ethnic in Nepal celebrate the Lhosar — the New Year on Sunday.

The government has announced a public holiday today, for the first time in the country’s history, to celebrate one of the greatest festivals of the Gurung community.

The Gurung communities across the country are celebrating the Lhosar with great fervor. Gurungs are found mainly in the districts such as Kaski, Lamjung, Mustang, Manang, Gorkha, Parbat and Syangja. They are also found in various parts of the country and in India.
The Gurung have their own language, which is called ‘Tamukwi’, which belongs to the Khamer Tibeto-Burman language group.