Based in Bhojpur district, Damini Bhir depicts the lives of the marginalized community there. Mukarung says of the book, “The stories are real, and while some names have been changed to respect privacy, others are true. This is an honor for everyone in the book.”[break]
Mukarung’s works have emerged out of a campaign that advocates creating art using references from the Kirat culture. “This award feels like our campaign, that we call shreejanshil arajakta, has achieved realization. It’s been more than 15 years that I, along with poets Upendra Subba and Hangyung Agyat, started concentrating our work on this.”
His earlier works include poems Seto Arohan, Prarambha Prakchhapan, Jikirko Gaddi and Mithak Maya, and a novel Hetchakuppa.
Jagadamba Shree Puraskar awarded to Ratna Shumsher Thapa
Poet and lyricist Ratna Shumsher Thapa was also honored with this year’s Jagadamba Shree Puraskar. Thapa’s contribution over five decades’ of poems and songs have obtained him the award. His four anthologies of poems areGoreto Yo Gaunko, Aankhako Bhaka Ankhaile and Bichodko Pida.
Madan Puraskar and Jagadamba Shree Puraskar hold a purse of Rs 200,000 each.
Related story
5 things about Rajan Mukarung
