Arkotira tappa tappa dhalirahe chha ashrudhar
Manau yo kunai bidhawako
Tyo chyan ko anuhar ho
Jaba ki uslai ayecha yaad
Eksath
Suhagrat ra swargiya patiko
Subhra, shanta ra snigdha
Sheekha mainbattiko
– Shikha Mainbattiko
From “Ghumne Mechmathi Andho
Manchhe’ by Bhupi Sherchan
I consider “Ghumne Mechmathi Andho Manchhe” as one of the masterworks that poet Bhupi Sherchan contributed to the Nepali literature. The lines of the poems are simple but they have deeper levelsof meanings which can leave the reader pondering over the thoughts that they can generate.[break]
In this poem, the poet has compared the light of a candle to a girl who is giving birth to a child. The lines are really beautiful and I’m amazed to see the kind of comparison that he has made, as an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to perceive the glowing tip of a simple candlelight in that way. The imagination of the poet is really praiseworthy, beautiful and artistic.
Sherchan is one of the most adored poets in the history of Nepali modern literature. I think he’s one of the most talented poets ever due to the power he packs in his writings. There’s also a profound message in every poem he has penned which is an awakening and also inspires the younger generation.
Besides that, he also stands out due to his satiric sense that can be seen in his works. For this collection of poems, “Ghumne Mechmathi Andho Manchhe,” he was even awarded with the Sajha Puraskar. I read this prose poetry when I was in high school; but even now, I go read the anthology time and again.
He developed his own school of style and was the most successful poet to popularize free verse. Many poets even now follow that style. It’s poets like Bhupi Sherchan and Gopal Prasad Rimal that I grew up reading and who have inspired me to try my hand in poetry.
Keshab Thoka
About Mukarung
When he was a high school student in his hometown in the Annapurna Village of Bhojpur District, Mukarung was introduced to the literary works of established writers of Nepal in his school library. He got the opportunity to read pieces like “Amako Sapana” by Gopal Prasad Rimal, “Shirishko Phool” by Parijat, “Pratyek Thhaun: Pratyek Manchhe” by Peter J Karthak, “Aja Ramita Chha” by Indra Bahadur Rai, “Muna Madan” by Laxmi Prasad Devkota, and Shankar Lamichhane’s essays.
“I was really inspired by these writers who gave me the hope that I could also establish myself as a poet someday,” he says.
During the Leftist movement in Nepal, there were students’ protests going on which had its effects in the villages, too. “It was the political awareness and the realization of human beings’ worth and their rights that made me aware and conscious since my childhood days which further inspired my poetry,” says Mukarung.
Mukarung is an established poet and a lyricist who writes about subjects that are close to society and it’s through his writing that he likes to bring out the voice of the suppressed.
He has four collections of poetry published to his credit: “Bishey Nagarchiko Bayan” was a bestseller, “Jiwanko Laya,” “Desh Khojdai Janda,” and a lyrical poetry, “Hiunko Darbar.”
He has also written a drama called “Yelambar.” Besides those, he has also a collection of writings, “Tarkaharuko Bipakchhama,” and a movie script called “Anagarik.”
He’s Assembly Member of the Academy of Music and Drama and has recently entered politics as a Nepali Congress member.
His collection of lyrics will be out soon. Besides poetry, he’s also writing a memoir which is also coming out soon.
Mukarung’s five picks
Damini Bheer by Rajan Mukarung
I really like Rajan’s writing style, and this novel is one of my favorites as well. The novel especially talks about the Maoist-state civil war and points out the situation of oppressed groups. He brings out the voice of those who don’t have much say and are suppressed in the society. Since I also like to point out reality of the society through my writing, I could really relate to it, and find this novel praiseworthy.
Professor Sharmako Diary by Biplav Dhakal
This is a very long poem in which Dhakal tries to points out how the education system of Nepal is very traditional. When there are so many new things to learn about, he talks about how most of the professors in the colleges of Nepal teach classical things which are outdated. They don’t teach practical things that are necessary for the students when they face the real world. In that way, this poem is very rebellious.
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
The Prophet by Gibran is really simple but at the same time very deep as well. There are many words of wisdom that are both meaningful as well as inspiring. The book has twenty-six poetic essays. One of the topics that the writer has delved into is of love. He talks about how an ideal relationship of a husband and wife should be like. He expresses that love should be pure like a temple, and provides various others instances of perfect love. Besides that, he also talks about topics like children, friendship and work, among others.
Pratyek Thhaun: Pratyek Manchhe by Peter J Karthak
I read this novel during my high school days and it has really inspired me a lot. Though I hadn’t been to the place, it’s through the novel that I imagined myself being in Darjeeling, and the experience was beautiful. There are various characters in the novel and it revolves around the subject of love and society. I think this is a very powerful novel, and I just admire the writing style and the way the story unfolds in the novel
Palpasa Café by Narayan Wagle
I think this is one of the most beloved novels of our time. The novel is really spellbinding, and the storyline is interesting. I really liked one context in the novel which shows an instance among two female “mitini” friends. One is a Magar and the other Bahun, and their friendship is really strong. One of the two goes to see the other to present bananas as a gift but gets killed in an ambush during the civil war. This part of the novel is really heart-touching. It shows the social relations and harmony prevailing in a Nepali society and at the same time sheds light on how the war broke such relations at one stroke. This context is really symbolic, poetic and one of the best parts of the whole novel.
As told to Nistha Rayamajhi
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