(Writer, novelist, and renowned literary figure Parashu Pradhan passed away on Monday night, March 19, 2024, at the age of 80. In memory of the revered writer, here, Sahityapost presents a conversation between Parashu Pradhan and journalist Gopi Sapkota. The interview was first published in The Space Time Today on 15 September, 2002.)
What inspired you to write Rachana Garbha (the stories behind story)?
Rachana Garva is a kind of seed. It’s a raw material for the story. It is an unfinished product. While writing stories, I don’t write the exact raw materials. I put some imagination that forms an art in writing. I don’t say that it is something new and I am the pioneer. It was practiced before also. I want Rachana Garbha to establish as a separate literary genre. I am interested in making others understand my stories easily, so I decided to write it.
It reveals different secrets. Do you agree?
Yes, the main purpose of writing Rachana Garbha is to reveal secrets. The most important thing is how far one is honest to what he has written. It is difficult to write truth. Sometimes it also affects the personality. Writing should be truthful. It is better not to write if one cannot disclose the secrets truly. I have read Rachana Garbha written by other new writers, too. But, I found them being untrue to what they have written. It’s not good to have double standard.
Is it difficult to face your characters after their exposition through Rachana Garbha?
Not as yet. Sometimes I meet them. They know they are the characters but pretend they are not. But nobody has strongly opposed me till now. Another reason may be because of the time gap. Sometimes I write the story taking an incident of 20 years back. Then the person I met such a long time ago can have less chances of meeting me in present.
Sex issue is dominant in your writings. Why is it so?
Sex is a vital part of nature and it is natural. But most people try to hide it. They don’t want these issues to be discussed openly. This hinders development of a country. We are the prisoners of sex as Norman Miller says. As we can’t stop and hide birth, death and other natural incidents, then why should we try to stop and hide sex? It is difficult. It’s all because of the religion that tries to keep things in secret. It should be open. We can’t ignore the value of sex. I think we should use the subject matter of sex in the literary writing, but it should be artistic. It should be covered by the clothes of art. Otherwise, it will simply be pornography.
Tell us about your writing process.
When something touches me, I take that thing as a raw material. I cook the raw material in my mind. Once it is cooked, then I start writing. I don’t know how long it takes to cook. Sometimes it takes only a few hours and sometimes more than thirty years. Usually, I complete writing a story in a single sitting.
How do you differentiate a writer from a critic?
I think a good writer can’t be a good critic, and a good critic can’t be a good writer. To be a writer one needs some divine power.
What do you think of the present literary scenario of Nepal?
Politics has been dominant in present literary writing. So, literature seems to be lacking artistic value. Writers are expressing their dissatisfaction against politics through satire. During the period of last 12 years, I have not found a single good literary work.
Do you have any goal to achieve through writing?
No. I am writing for self-satisfaction. I know that some people are writing to gain something. But I don’t have such ambitions.
