The dust of zeitgeist on the furniture of the mind

Manjushree Thapa's translation of new Nepali literature is out. Here's what the inside of the book jacket has to say-

Modern Nepali literature started late, in the 1930s. As a response to state censorship, one group of high modernists sought to locate human freedom in the play of language. Another group wrote more directly in favor of social justice. From these pioneers emerged the 'democrats' and the 'progressives,' the distinctions between which have gradually blurred since the re-establishment of democracy in 1990.

वामदेव पहाडी - डबल एमए, बिएल

वामदेव सर गुत्थ फुलेर ओछ्यानमा बसेका थिए। अगाडि टेबुलमा मेरो निबन्ध थियो। निबन्ध हरफैपिच्छे रातो मसीले रंगिएको थियो र फड्के किनारमा पनि कमिलाको गोलोसरी राताम्मे अक्षरहरू थिए। त्यो देखेर म खङ्रंगै भए"। काठमाडौं जाने मेरो रंगीन सपनामा आगलागी भयो। 'जुन हो त्यही" खडा हुनू,' मैले ढोकाभित्र पाइला टेक्नासाथ वामदेव सर गर्जिए। टेबुलको राताम्मे निबन्धमा खरानी भएको आफ्नो सपनालाई मर्माहत दृष्टिले हेर्दै म मूर्तिवत ठिंग उभिए"। 'जुन हो खुट्टा उठाउनू,' दण्ड भोग्ने कसुर बुझ्दै नबुझी मैले आतेसको भावमा दाहिने खुट्टो उचाले।" 'जुन हो बेबकुफ दुवै खुट्टा उठाउनू।' म किंकर्तव्यविमूढ भए"। 'जुन हो महामु' धरती छोडेर हावा टेकेर हि"ड्नू' भन्न खोजेको के हो भुत्तिभाङ केही नबुझी म अवाक, अचल र निस्तेज भए"।

Khagendra Sangraula gets a lesson in literature>>

Ramesh Bikal Passes

One of Nepal's better known and "progressive" writer has passed away...I remember reading Footpath Minister, about the cliques of street children, and Lahuri Bhainsi. I think he wrote the first and only children's science fiction novel that I've read - Bikram ra usko antariksha yaan.  The story goes something like this, as far as I can recall, read it more than fifteen years ago: Bikram and his friend secretely build a space ship in the woods in their village. And one day they take off. They land in a faraway planet. I think there is civil war there, the bad side has won, temporarily. The aliens are quite advanced scientifically,  they're on a different plane altogether. However, they express admiration for progress in "arts" that the humans have made. Bikram and his buddy help defeat the baddies swishing around in flying machines. After the good side's victory the kids return home with stories to find out that, to their astonishment, barely a day has passed in Nepal. 

here's  links to the obituary:

http://gorkhapatra.org.np/gopa.detail.php?article_id=11698&cat_id=14

 http://gorkhapatra.org.np/rising.detail.php?article_id=11665&cat_id=4