KATHMANDU
Aarohan Gurukul’s Sama Theatre was packed to the hilt with veteran poets and poetry-enthusiasts on Friday. The day was particularly special for five young poets who had come all the way from the western part of the Dhaulagiri zone to launch their anthology of poems titled Simanta Aksharharu. The anthology is a combination of the efforts of Bibhavdip Shrestha, Bharat Biwash Paudel, Ganeshkumar GC, Jagannath Paudel and RK Adipt Giri
.“Dhaulagiri zone has always enjoyed a great sense of literary proliferation in terms of poetry and other forms,” said poet Giri, also the director of the Hriturang Foundation, responsible for the entire event. “It is unfortunate that this fact remains unknown to the rest of the nation.” He adds that this particular group of poets has been active since the 90s, and represents the many aspiring poets from the region whose talents have not been recognised in the mainstream so far. Giri believes that this anthology is a step forward, especially emerging as it does from fresh faces in the poetry scene.
Prominent academicians and poets the likes of Tulsi Diwas, Toya Gurung, Bimal Nibha, Yuyutsu RD Sharma, Shyamal, and Prakash Sayami were present to speak at the launch. “Nowhere is the beauty of the Nepali language more evident than in our poetry,” said Sharma, himself a writer and poet. “There has been a distinctive ethic prevalent among Nepali poets where they do not create just for the sake of making money, but are more focused on distributing their works to as many people as possible, regardless of the hardships.”
Senior poet Diwas, on the other hand, praised the efforts of the young poets, and commended the sort of boldness that they have presented their work with. “Poetry is certainly everywhere, but it is owing to poets like these that we can avoid dormancy in literature and reawaken interest.” Nibha was equally admiring of the five, particularly for their solid grasp on contemporary issues and the artistic representation of these in their poetry.
To provide some structure, the poems in the anthology have been divided into various sections; the merging of the distinctive styles of the five poets has thus resulted in a dynamic volume of work. Poet Shyamal touched upon this during his speech, saying that the poets have been able to incorporate a rather modern treatment of traditional subjects in the book—a winning combination all round. For Toya Gurung, veteran poet and member of the Royal Nepal Academy, this volume represents a new surge in contemporary Nepali poetry, and one that is sure to strengthen the genre.
Out of the five, four poets—excluding GC—gave readings of their poems during the event, and each recitation was received with resounding applause. The volume is currently available in book shops around Kathmandu, and is priced at Rs 150.
