Kathmandu, Aug. 16
Poet Bishwa Sigdel’s latest collection of poems Pale Shadows at Dusk was unveiled in a launch ceremony held at Green Leaf Café in Kathmandu on Saturday. Organized by Bartaman Kabita Samuha, the event featured critical comments and the recital of poet Sigdel’s English poems as well as their German translation by different poets.
In the event tone-set by poet Rami Priya through her welcome speech, Dr. Hem Raj Kafle and Dr. Bal Ram Adhikari placed their critical observations on the work. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kafle praised Sigdel’s “sensitive and emotive writing style,” highlighting his ability to navigate the subtle complexities of human experience. Dr. Adhikari highlighted the book’s thematic importance and cited the urgency for increasing author-translator collaborations arguing that it is a crucial step towards bringing contemporary Nepali literature to the global stage.
Poets Rajani Mila, Harish, Bhisma Upreti, and Avaya Shrestha recited some English poems while Nishan Belbase, Sakrit Sigdel, Sebika Limbu, and Pratikshya Dahal read the English renditions.
Delivering his authorial note, Bishwa Sigdel described Pale Shadows at Dusk as his journey of both “introspection and observation” of the world around him. The event was orchestered by Chandra Bahadur Lama, the event’s emcee.
