Essay Niranjan

Mera Bhole-Shankar Baba's birthday is Parsi. At that time, he used to work as a deuta, that is, he sold deuta. He used to write books. He used to write poetry. He also wrote songs, occasionally. Good company. He was a great lover of literature, music and Sura. He was a great storehouse of knowledge. Shankar, who went 'there' 48 years ago, i.e. 'Shankar Lamichhane', a 96-year-old farmer, has suddenly found himself in the 'Kafya-Lay' of Kasthamandap - in the garden of Hotel Shankar. A few days ago Kumar Nagarkoti and I had a video talk here. On that day, Khagendra Sangraula and CK Raut were also talking here! I got the chance to talk to the 'Uhi Madan Award winning' author who is so back in the time zone.

Me: You came after 48 years. How did Kathmandu feel?

Shankar: Oh yes! Don't do it. What a jungle Kathmandu has become! You can't even hear a person sitting next to you. full of commotion. Increase the volume of speech!

Me: Did you meet Bangdelji on the way?

Shankar: Oh! Hearing your voice reminded me of Tulsi! Tulsi K, Tulsinath Dhungel. His voice was hoarse like yours. From reading news on the radio, from running programs to reading poetry. He was not a fan! A speech that made Balraj Sahni, the film hero of that time, forget. He was the editor, not to mention the suggester, of most of my articles. If you don't like it, you call it fat. I would make corrections. He is the one who attracted me to English songs by singing 'Johnny Johny S Papa'. You have also spent half of your life on the radio! I heard you have fans too. Well, you have to do what you can.

Ah, yes! I met Bangdel there. Nowadays, he has become a cartoonist! Leaders have made cartoons! I went to meet him the day before I came here. A 'nude cartoon' of Dahal, Oli and Deuba was made. Couldn't do it. If I could, I thought I would bring it here!

Me: Yes! Lansingh Bangdel cartoonist! Yes, that's what time does to people! And after going there, who and what did you remember the most?

Shankar : Especially I wanted to go there more than 48 years ago. Most of the Jigris of my time were to be found there. Guru Lakshmiprasad Devkota, Dai Gopalprasad Rimal, Bhupi, Darshan Aimin Bhimdarshan Roka, Amber, Parijat, Narayangopal etc. And Bhaktaraj also arrived in the evening. He used to say, he was very sad. Now his soul is liberated. His sons are doing his work. Maybe because of a recent meeting, I remember the incident of 030 years ago. What did he sing in the radio competition? Amber, Narayan and Bachu were the judges! The first one happened. From next year, all three judges had to compete with him!

The one I remember the most is Amber's. I told him once in Darjeeling, 'Ma Ambar Hoon Tu Dharti' song is old, now give something new.' He talked about Beethoven, Mozarts. The concept of the quare and the cantata was confusing. I also wrote 4-5 quaires and cantatas. One night, which we spent in Madhosi. But then we spent many nights, nights of creating Aimin.

One day Bhupi Dai told me Amber's music and a song of his own composition. In waltz style. And I asked about the amber that I did not find. And Bhupi Dai gave an apt simile and said: 'He is not a man, he is a friend, and for whom he is not a friend, he is an artist, and for whom he is not an artist, he is a singer, and for whom he is not a singer, he is born. Not even.'

After saying this, my brother knows what I said, (my brother told me, especially since he is of my grandson's age. Haha!) I said, 'Bhupi zindavad!' Then no one could introduce Amber faster than that. . However, if we talk about life, Amber Daju went to the Gurkha Army and wore a uniform. Aimin's big head is not only full of wisdom, but also knowledge! Amber is actually Ni Bhai Nepali music's Akash Aimin universe. Then I remember Gopal Daiko the most. My father used to call Gopal dai to my house to give me tuition. Due to the circumstances at that time, I could not go to school. We used to come through Matatirtha, Machhegaon. After Gopal Dai started the revolution! Jailed. Wrote poetry. Mother's dream also won the Madan award. (Mama's dreams should have it... haha..) Bada was frosted. Even there he is not very happy. They make people confused by talking about it. They keep complaining that the country is worse than during the time of the king. He is saddened by the insult to the martyr. They talk less about literature. He talks about prose poetry in verse. New poets who have come these days recite poetry in verse. Mukarung, Kshitij, Bhupin's poetry collections were also brought from here and were shown to me. What else can I say, if publishers and writers these days have started to understand the 'aesthetic value' of books!

There are many options for the "Mu" of our time, that is, Mukhiya! One was talking highly of Sachin Yagol. Really! Brother is not a publisher! Gopal Dai also showed me the 'Combo' of my book. He likes the combo. They were saying, 'You lived a black and white life, how good the cover of the book looked like 'white'.' There are very few poets like Gopal Dai. There are Lekhnath, Siddhicharan, Devkota, Sam, Parijat, Ghimire. Who is there?

Me: Oh true! Said Parijat's name. What's up with him?

Shankar: Ah, Parijat! As soon as his name comes up, I remember one of his earlier letters. She wrote, 'Now I am overwhelmed by the success and discussion of the novel. When people started seeing me in Sakambari, started imbibing him, but he died a successful death at the age of twenty-four and I am living the life of Suyogaveer in my thirties.' The various substances that the reader has so deeply absorbed in his mind, today his personal existence has ceased. If I say something today, it will not be considered as the 'second appendix' of Shirish's flower. But Parijat is actually 'Kulata'. There is no morality in him. According to the picture of him, he is "a wife before a woman becomes a wife." Birth is a creation of a new era and the rise of a new tradition. Wrapped in the disintegration of physical malaise, she has satisfied her sexual desires on a mental high. Clumsiness is perhaps the last straw of man and there is no substitute for it. She is a woman who attains Tattvayoga. Even today, she has succeeded in making everyone understand the essence of literature. Many people try to strip Parijat, but brother, when they reach him, everyone is already naked. Being nothing is not naked, brother! By the way, I have used the word 'Kulata' to wash the canvas! Parijat is actually a cactus as well as a rose. Extreme in both! Brother, you understand!

by the way bro! Nowadays, there are magazines that print such long interviews and in this online world? Where will this interview be printed? Ah, if my brother had read it, he would have remembered that he was the best kunwar. Big tough guy. He got the Madan award before me. It used to publish a magazine called 'Ruprekha' and used to do interviews like this. It was fun to print. Nowadays, I have heard that the editor's "padak" has disappeared and only "sum" is left! I mean the 'mani' of the 'editor' has disappeared like our mani! Another editor of that time, Maniraj Upadhyay! Brother, have you read my "one letter: to the editor"! Yes, the same editor! Always make me write articles! Nowadays, there is that one Deepak Sapkota, who calls the author at twelve o'clock in the night until the article is finished! Yes, the same brother! Very loud! That's the profile writer, right! Rajkumar Baniyan, yes, he used to tell me in a letter – he has written about me too, but he is not able to read it. Go to the previous Manirajko! My turn came one day, brother. He himself did not know that he was an editor. Who can not follow the time, the editor of Bhutra! I once reported on Samiksha weekly! Haha, Yadira said! I used to write a letter to Mani when I could not see my eyes due to anger. I put it in the book later. The same book won the Madan award!

I : Oh! He talked about the Madan Award. Nowadays, it has become as old as you. You also received this award in the year 2024. At the award ceremony, Devkota should have said from the beginning that he should not walk the same path he walked. In fact, what kind of energy do these awards give to the writer? Also, nowadays, anyone who writes would like to get an award!

Shankar :

Look bro, actually I mostly use English, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit and sometimes Newari in my writing. However, I love Nepali language the most. Madan will also be given to those who write in Nepali language. What that means is that whoever writes about our society, culture, civilization, history, people's life, geography, etc., in any way, is not only a service to literature, but also to the country. What I said in 2015 about the award is encouraging is still relevant today. It is a good thing to hope for a good writer! Even in my time, there were those who resented my brother! But what to do with anger haha! No! I said in my speech, brother, just as the eighteen years from 2009 to 2025 were wasted, no one will know that the next fifty years have been wasted. That's why I said that my creations will be for today's generation after fifty years! I : The meaning of the statement, are you trying to say that there are no writers like you these days, or that the writers of these days could not write futuristically, or that they could not write as pragmatically as I did? Let's clear things up!

Shankar:

(Shankar lit a Malbro cigarette!) What to do brother, he started eating phoolmar at a young age, he didn't stop. Can't eat there. Now let's talk about it (pulling a cigar and blowing smoke)! Even in those days I read a lot of Western literature. There was association with the budding writers of that time. Didn't read. The thing called reading gives the writer a lot of knowledge and broadens his imagination. In our time, we were followers of three 'S'. What does the three "S" mean brother - literature, music and sura! Everyone is a fan. After reading, you will get drunk with literature, after listening to songs and music, you will get drunk after singing and reading and listening! Oh, what a mess! I have heard that there are some practical and educated writers here too. At that time brother, the writer who used more danger than the extreme that I used in writing.. Kere... Ku... Ma... Nagarkoti Aka Raihan Oh, Roshan Sherchan had sent news about his book 'Kalpagranth', it's a very bad book! What is it, typography? However, he is a prolific writer these days. Fans are also diehard! Another was Narayan Dhakal and Ganes Poudel, who wrote 'Paitala', were given by Roshan. Shivani... Saraswati... KK was taking names. It's hard to remember everyone's name bro! I want to read his 'Sotala'. I might buy it when I go to Patan Books. And Roshan Sherchan has followed my path in the essay. There are others. Others only have many 'bonds'. No "ni"! I didn't particularly care for the warps either. I hear there are new threads here too. Anyway brother, Nepali literary writing is progressing rapidly! Me: One thing, would you like to say something about Kumudini Baini who accused you of plagiarism and giving up writing? I mean, want to make some confession now? This is what readers are looking for.

Shankar:

Look brother, what happened at that time, happened. The night is gone, the talk is gone. (Shankar lit the Malbro cigarette again!) I have already said, the effect was beyond. I don't want to talk about two things bro - firstly about this and secondly about my personal life. Literary writers should be read in their works, but they should imagine! Or not, brother?... Oh, how long did the interview go on? Let's refresh the mood now! Jam, coffee or som...? (Shankar blows the smoke of Malbro again!) Me: No bro, I wanted to ask some more things...!

Shankar: No, let's do it today, let's arrange more time the next day. This time I stay a little longer. Also bought many Nepali books. You have to meet the new generation as well. The literature festival is also going. Let's go today! Let's cheers! No

?

Me: Haha!

Then Shankar and I reached the well-known hotel Shankar's bar, where fifty years ago Amber, Bhupi, Bhimdarshan used to cheer 'Baat and Maat' together!

(parts of Lamichhane's answers used in this article are his, some fictional)