English.Sahityapost
Kathmandu, December 30
Amid an eagerly anticipated literary release, Khokpa, a story collection by DR Rai has been officially released today during a literary event held at Kimchi Restaurent, Anamnagar on Saturday. The launch event, organized by Page Turner, celebrated the literary creativity of author Rai and a rigorous discussion upon his newly released book.
The book was jointly made public by the chancellor of Nepal Academy Bhupal Rai, critics Mahesh Paudyal, Hem Bhandari, Nibanna Ghimire and publisher of Page Turner Bhuvan Hari Sigdel.
While reflecting upon the book, critic Nibanna Ghimire shared her experience of reading Khokpa and highlighted various issues that the book raised. “I was unfamiliar with the title ‘Khokpa’, which after reading I found it to be so relevant to the story of a withered tree and the message it carried.” said Ghimire, “Like a withered tree, human life shall be left alone one day”
Another speaker, critic Hem Bhandari considered the entire stories of the book as primarily dealing with nature, identity and resistance. Critic Bhandari also appreciated the author’s attempt to present the stories in an artistic way. Bhandari, who was fascinated by a particular story of a crippled horse titled Langado Sathi, asserted, “Author DR has revived the life I lived before.”
Poet and critic Mahesh Paudyal cherished the author’s endeavor to step into the genre of fiction at the time when fiction is proving to be the strongest genre among all. He saw a symbiotic relation between man and nature in the book. Appreciating the simplicity of the book, he put, “The book gives us the smell of author’s birthplace. He has written what he lived”. Critic Paudyal also discussed some of the problems in the modern day writing saying the contemporary story writers fail to maintain the connection between their writing and their living.
Attending the event as the chief guest, chancellor of Nepal Academy Bhupal Rai said book like Khokpa seems to have been written with an aim to narrate one’s own story. Similarly, Bhuvan Hari Sigdel, the event’s chairperson, observed society being placed in the heart of the book.
Published by Page Turner, the book contains 11 short stories and is priced 400 rupees. Khokpa is DR Rai’s second work of fiction, his first novel is Tilasbi.
