Friends,

I am using this space for making a personal announcement that is very much a part of my Sajha life and which my well-wisher Sajha mates have been inquiring for several months already.

Well, my mini-novel Chaytna Nasakeko Chithiis finally published and a website dedicated to promote it is up and running.

- http://www.dkhadka.com/chithi

I have a long list of Sajhaites to thank. First and foremost, Echoes for an excellent web design and Shree for valuable guidance to web-illiterate person like me. Gokul-jee for a wonderful preface for the book which, let me give a preview, starts with the story of how it all started right here in Sajha some years ago.

I am donating the proceeds from the book to Help Nepal Network. And I have to thank Shirish for making that possible and helping me out in too many things.

I am also grateful to anonymous Sajha artists and models for their precious cooperation during my initial search for a design for the book.

Then all initial readers of the story for their encouragement and following up inquiries regarding its publication.

So, basically, in Sajha had my book it's birth pang and it would not have seen this day without Sajha.

I have been telling to all that Sajha has been a rewarding experience for me. This book is a living proof among many others I can produce.

Thank you Sajha mates ! Thank you Sajha !

Nepe

- http://www.dkhadka.com/chithi

>What prevented such an elegant writer like Nepe
>to remain dormant for such a long time?

पापी पेट साथी, पापी पेट !

:-)

I did not put the question really well. However you understood.

I am expecting a reply from Sanjivani.

नेपे दाजू, तपाईँको पुस्तक पढ्न अत्यन्त व्यग्र हुँदाहुँदै पनि हिजो सम्म ठाउँ न ठहरको स्थिती भएकोले आज अर्डर गरेँ मैले! अब आफ्नो रङग ढङ्गको चालामालाको त के बयान गराइ भो र यहाँ जे होस बल्ल ठेगाना () को टुङ्गो लाग्यो भनुम न।
अब २-३ दिन मा आईपुग्ला।
व्यग्र छु!!

नेपेदाजी,
तपाईको उपन्यास म पनि पढ्ने भएँ। अन्यौलग्रस्त ब्यस्तताले त्यति आँट गर्न सकेको थिइन तर एउटा ब्यक्तिगत कारणले र माथिका केहि पाठक प्रतिक्रियाहरुले मलाई घच्घच्यायो। धैर्यताका साथ प्रतिक्षामा छु।

साहिंलाज्यू,

यो प्रोजेक्ट यसरी मिलाईएको छ कि, पाठकले संभवत: समय खेर गएको अनुभव गर्ने छैनन् । कदाचित् त्यसो भईहाले पनि पैसा भने खेर गएको चाहि पटक्कै महसुस गर्ने छैनन्, रे क्या ;-)

अहिलेसम्मको पाठक प्रतिक्रियाबाट उत्साहित छु । यो मेरो श्रीगणेश (debut) कृति भा' हुँदा मनमा नाना भाँतीका डर र धरमर छन् के ।

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जिम्माल बिर्खेज्यू,

पुस्तक बिक्री एवम् प्रवर्धन विभाग ( :-) ) को भरपर्दो सेवा पाउनु हुने नै छ ।

तपाईले ठेगान-बेठेगानको कुरा गर्दा मलाई मेरो एउटा शेर सम्झना आयो । पुरै गजल चाहि कुनै पुरानो थ्रेडतिर हुनुपर्छ । यो शेरचाहि मेरो सबभन्दा प्यारो शेरहरु मध्ये पर्छ । तर किन हो यो सबभन्दा कम वाहवाही पाएको शेर पनि हो ।

जत्ति पठायौ तिमीले फिर्ता भए सब सन्देश
अपशोच, बदलि' रहे हर दिन ठेगाना मेरा


*** *** *** *** ***

Shirish,

Sanjivani ? Hmmm.. Quite a character, isn't he ?

In the story, I think, Sanjivani can best be called "a hero who was not". I do not know if readers can feel it that way, however, I think, the writer has presented him as a lesser, if not a negative, character, although he (the writer) has made the "heroine" of the story worship him throughout the story. Sanjivani represents a selfish character, the type who live their lives just optimizing their chance with no regard for other's need. I would call them a 'political' type. I have seen this kind of characters aplenty in my life. However, do I identify myself with them ? You sure know what my answer would be.

So, Sanjivani really can not answer the question you asked earlier, for, in all likelihood, he may be living a successful life of a career politician somewhere in Nepal, rey kya.

Nepe

उत्कृष्ट !!!

नकिनिकनै पढिसक्याएँ, एक घण्टामै। किन्ने चाँजोपाजो मिलाउँदै छु, सँग्रहको लागि।
अरु प्रतिकृया लेख्ने चैँ हैसियत नै राख्न सकिन।

-भउते

नेपे गुरु,

हजुर को पुस्तक को बारे मा थाहा पाएं ढिला भे नि ।
बरु पुस्तकमा हजुरको अमूल्य हस्ताक्षर पुनि हवस् भन्ने नम्र निबेदन गर्न चाहन्छु ।

:-)>

ईश्वर

पुस्तक अस्ति हात परेको थियो तर आज सम्म पढ्ने मेसो मिलेको थिएन र आज पढेँ!
'प्रकाशकीय' देखि ७८रौँ पाना सम्म सबै पढेँ। पहिलो १ घन्टा सबै पढेर सकाएँ र कथाले आफूलाई तृप्त बनाएँ। त्यसपछि फेरि पढेँ र केहि शब्द र वाक्यहरुमा अड्किएँ! हुनत हरेक हरफहरु सिधै कुशाको मन भित्र बाट निस्केका छन तर केहि तर्कनाहरु यति प्रगाढ, गहिरा र बलिया छन कि, लेखकले भने जस्तै बिशुद्ध "प्रकृतिजन्य प्रेम" मा परेका मुटुहरुबाट मात्र निस्कन सफल हुन्छन्! जस्तै झरि परेर रोकिएको बेलामा कुशाको मनमा उमडिएका लहरहरु -
"बाहिर पानी रोकियो, भित्र बर्सिरहेछ। तिमी बर्सिरहेछौ, म रूझिरहेकी छु। फरक यत्ति हो - बर्सिने बादललाई थाहा छैन, ऊ धरतीको कुन शुष्क कुनालाई छप्छप्ती रूझाइरहेछ।"

यस्तै, सन्जीले भित्र भित्रै मन पराएको कुरा थाहा भएपछिको विष्फोटक स्थितिबाट मुक्तिको लागि कुशाको मन बाट निस्केको मनोभावलाई लेखकले झनै कुशलतापूर्वक उतारेका छन -
"रुँदा रुँदा जब मेरा आँसु शेष रहेनन्। तिमी कल्पने गर्न सक्तैनौ मैले के गरें। मैले तिम्रो मृत्युको कामना गरें...भयानक, घोर पापमय प्रार्थना....तर त्यो प्रार्थनाले मलाई झन् अधीर, अशान्त र उद्धिग्न तुल्यायो। हरेक पल्ट तिम्रो मृत्युको कामनासँगै मैले आफूलाई विधवा अनुभव गरेँ।"

समग्रमा भन्नु पर्दा मलाई उपन्यास धेरै मन पर्यो, कथा आफैँले भन्दा मलाई कथाको विभिन्न मोडमा प्रयोग गरिएका भावपरक शब्दहरुले बढि मजा दियो! पढ्दै जाँदा किन किन थाहा छैन बिचमा रविकान्तको मनोभावना अझै अलि बढि खोलिएको भए हुन्थ्यो जस्तो लाग्यो!

नेपे दाजू, यस्तो रचना पस्किनुभएकोमा धेरै बधाई छ र साथसाथै तपाईँको यो यात्राले मलाई दिएको हौसलाको लागि धन्यवाद् अनि अर्को खुट्किलो उक्लनोस मेरो शुभकामना छ! :)

Birkhe

If you change the structure of the sentences, they basically become poems.
There are many instances as such. Here is one that you have quoted.

बाहिर पानी रोकियो,
भित्र बर्सिरहेछ।
तिमी बर्सिरहेछौ,
म रूझिरहेकी छु।
फरक यत्ति हो -
बर्सिने बादललाई थाहा छैन,
ऊ धरतीको कुन शुष्क कुनालाई
छप्छप्ती रूझाइरहेछ।"

नेपे दाजी,
खै अहिलेसम्म आईपुग्या हैन उपन्यास त, अब मैले अर्को उपन्यास लेखेर 'पाउन नसकेको पुस्तक' भनेर नाम राख्नुपर्ला जस्तो छ नि!

I never thought a guy as intellectual as Nepe would be sort of whiling his time away on sajha, I've read some of your pots and theyre pretty darn gd. Never thought it was you. I went to the website but never knew it was Nepe.lol....nice job. I'm waiting to read the book myself. Seems really good. I'm lucky I can still read Nepali.
I read some of the pages yopu've made avalable online and I found that going through some of the "garo" words was a bit of a hassle. aba SLC ma 50% lyako manche le yesto bhannu suhaudo kuro ta hoina, tyai pani nepe ji, hajurle alik sajila shabda ko prayog garidinu bhaeko bhaye yo upanyaas padhna ajha sajilo hune thyo hola. I may be wrong, feel free to correct me.
-Samaya ko batuwa

not to forget, I'm not talking about the very deep-rooted and meaningful "bhawanatmak" words, just a few words here and there.

Nepe Jyu,
I was impressed few years back while I ware reading your thread about why Sanskrit should not be mandatory in high school. I was impressed then and had realized that you are an accomplished writer. Could you please provide the link for that thread so that I could read it again?

Good point Shirish, never thought this way!

Arko-jee,

It's a pleasure to have you from good old Sajha. You probably are talking about the following four years old thread.

Fantasy Crowds And Revelations
Feb 4, 2002
- http://www.sajha.com/archives/openthread.cfm?threadid=3298&dsn=sajhaarchive

My reservations regarding making Sanskrit compulsory in the middle school and Nepali in 10+2 has brought pleasant scorns from my very well-wishers, some writing in this very thread. :-(

'आफु चाहि टन्न हसुरेर अरुलाई नखा भन्न सक्ने बेईमान' भन्ने सम्म निक्ले ।

I think, like it is not necessaryto study Greek and Latin languages to study science, it is not necetossary to study Sanskrit to be strong in Nepali. And I also think, 10 years of compulsory Highschool Nepali is sufficient to appreciate Nepali literature and advance the proficiency in Nepali language further, if interested, on our own, or through optional Nepali language course.

However, I am aware this issue has been controversial in Nepal and here in Sajha as well. So, I will respect different opinions.

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Timetraveller-jee,

As I have admitted, there are a few difficult words. However, they are not going to make the story ineligible.

I sure will be mindful in future adventures.

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World_map,

That's unfortunate. You will be rushed a new copy.

*** *** *** *** *** ***

बिर्खेजी,

ती नि:सन्देह मलाई पनि प्रिय लाग्ने हरफहरु हुन् ।
कथानकको मितव्ययिताको र खास गरेर कुशाको अरुचीको शिकार रविकान्त जरुर भएका छन् । धन्न कुशा पाए उनले अन्तिममा । तर मलाई लाग्छ, उनको आत्मसंघर्ष त अब पो शुरु हुनेवाला छ ।

Nepe

Nepe Ji,
I was fascinated by the debate between you and Biswo had that time about the issue. I had read that thread in one sitting because I just couldn't leave it after I started. I was impressed by your statements like - "You don't need to go to do farming to get your meal. Your wallet and good resturants are good enough." In another thread somewhere you had said - "You must make a noise to get yourself heard." I guess you were right. You should have made more noise publishing your book sooner :). If anybody agrees or not to your opinion, that's a different story but as much as I am say you can make deep impact to others by your writing. I am reading the same thread again to refresh my memory.

मेरो Credit card त छ, तर पिताजीले card बाट पैसा खर्च गरेर उपन्‍यास पढेको देखीस्‍यो भने मलाई,"साले गधा,भाते, असत्‍ति! इश्‍कूलको किताप्‌ पढ्‍न छोडेर तँ उपन्‍यास पढ्‍ने? काम छैन अरु? मैले तँलाई यत्रो दु:ख गरेर विदेश ल्‍याएको यसैका लागी?" भनिसिन्‍छ होला। त्‍यसैले म त यो उपन्‍यास मेरो बड्‍डेकालागि किन्‍नेछु। बड्‍डेमा त पिताजीले केही भनिसिन्‍न होला नि, हकि?

-धेरै राम्रो सुनेकाले किनुम्‌ किनुम्‌ भैसक्‍यो भन्‍या!!!! अब मान्‍छे हाऊडे भएपनि strong feminist परियो, के गरुम्‌। दिस माई बड्‍डे प्रेजेन्‍ट बिकमिङ्‍ येस्‌।(yo mero birthday present hunecha)

' chyatna nasakeko chithi ' nari patrako manobaigyanik bisleshan . great book


timetraveller "' पिताजी----,"साले गधा,भाते, असत्‍ति! !!!!!!!!!!! पिताजीले कस्तो गाली गर्ने ?:D
अब देखि 'बा' नो पिताजी ओ के

Arko-jee,

That's a priceless compliment. Thank you. Biswo is a good debater himself and one of many things I like about him is that he is very frank. I am posting his comment about my book below. They will speak for his veracity.

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Timetraveller-jee,

Your kind words just melt me. Give me a pleasure to send a complimentary copy of the book to you. Write to any address you find.

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Radhaupadhyaya-jee,

Thanks for your kindest word.

Although I feel fairly secure about the literary merit of the work (thanks all the well-wishers for their kind comments), I still honestly do not know about, say, the accuracy of depiction of a woman's intimate feelings. I have yet to hear from a significant number of female readers.

Then, I am also curious about socio-political (I mean feminist) interpretation of the story, specifically the concluding part of the story.

I am sharing a comment which might be close to a feminist view. I said very close, because it is from a male reader and who is none other than Biswo, a Sajha alumnus Arko-jee was talking about. I am taking liberty to post his comments and my reply from our conversation in Nep Dem Google Group (yes, sometimes we also talk about non-political stuff there).


Biswo is critical of the concluding of the story and has other useful suggestions.

Biswo writes-
"Read your novel (should we say it is a story? It was pretty short, and
given the book size, it is like a long story, right?).

You wrote it well, I must say. It was gripping, and I am sure anyone
who is more interested in 'affairs' will love to spend time with it. I
am not into love story a lot, but still I enjoyed it. I would have
written a longer comment had I not been away from California right now.

Two major comments:

1.You have been very lazy in letting us know the city, the college, the
surrounding of the story. I think most of the kaaljayi fictions have
one property: they damn well go into detail, they depict the snapshot
of the soceity where the characters live and breathe, in a way the
novels are not only novels, but also the places/norms/milieu that
surrounds these characters, and they are often supported with
philosophy and subplots. I hope when you write next time, you will be
very specific, and you will describe in detail the roads that your
characters walked on, the houses where people lived. We say a fiction
is a mirror of society, the way I understand it is if 2 hundreds years
down the road somebody reads it, he will be able to construct a
snapshot of our society. In a way, you being a drama actor yourself,
assume you are writing a script that a director will use to create a
setting where people will be acting.

I often appreciate those jesuit travellers who passed by Nepal in
seventeenth century who wrote a good description( though even there
some wrote a distorted version that were later discarded); or Syvlain
Levy whose classic book on Nepal's history written during Bir
Shamsher's tenure for what I think was probably slightly distorted yet
mostly accurate description. Niyatra might have as its goal a pure
motive of transporting its readers to another setting, in another
time, but that is exactly what a novelist should be aiming for, with the
help of some fictional characters and circumstances, especially when he
wants his novels are remembered hundreds-years down the road. We
shouldn't forget that feelings are 'historical constant'; if we write a
love story without characters and places they will be same whether we
write it in prehistoric time or in future. What separates us from our
predecessors or progenies is the locales, dresses or other our
generation specific things and it is my view that we should record it
carefully and honestly when we write a book.

2. I thought you wrote it well, but your ending reflects the
platitudinous capitulation to bourgeois morality that is so common in
so many Hindi movies/novels. It was not necessary for the girl to go
back to her husband in your novel. Why do we care about this anymore
that she goes to the man she married. I am a conservative and it
pleased me to see that a marriage is saved, [it often irritates me to
see depraved characters of samrat upadhyay's stories] but I know that
it is also a confirmation to the social norms, and it is always a
central theme of profit oriented Hindi movies. Most of the time, it
looks so artificial because it first shows a strong woman, and then in
a hurried finish, it reduces woman to an obeisant creature."

And here is the reply I posted-

"Biswo-jee,

It's an honor to have you among my readers.

It's a pleasure and relief as well to see that you found the book
gripping despite your disinterest to 'romance' genre you admitted
earlier.

And thank you for your insightful comments.

The content is indeed a long story in form, but with all elements of a
novel, except for anonymity of location and time. The concise nature of
the work comes perhaps from my Shayari instinct. Naming of locations
etc certainly would have beautified the story.

Regarding your comment on the concluding part of the story, I feel my
purpose fulfilled to find different and conflicting opinions from
different readers.

Murariraj-jee who posted before you called it "really carefully
crafted, unique, superb". I think the comment was also meant for the
story itself (I have to check with Murari-jee).

In any case, the ending was meant for open interpretation.

Regarding your view that it was confirmatory to conventional norms, I
would say it was not meant and therefore it was not.

The girl's decision to return to her husband has nothing to do with the
idea of saving her marriage. Her decision in whole has to do with the
discovery/invention she made to satisfy/kill her quest. So it's really
an unconventional ending. The marriage was not aimed. It just happened
to be saved. Saving marriage was never ever an issue there.

However, you have raised an important point. Whether the story has
reduced a strong woman to an ordinary woman ?

This part is open for interpretation. And yours is certainly a valid
interpretation. My views are also similar to yours. It's the degree of
uncertainty in the interpretation, that was meant to be the strength of
the story.

Thank you once again for your very tasteful and useful comments."

*** *** *** *** *** ***

Nepe

Hyaa,अथर्‌जी! यो नोवेलको धेर डिस्‍कसन्‌ नगरुम्‌ न। अब क्‍लाईम्‍याक्‍स्‌ नै थाहा भएपछि के मज्‍जा भो र भन्‍या? सरि, अब गोर्खे मान्‍छे, कहिलेकाहीँ कुरा खस्रोनै मिठो हुन्‍छ रे क्‍या!

म भर्खर बिस टेकेको मान्‍छे, भोली मेरी बुढीको पनि tragedy पर्‍या रैछ भने मैले उस्‍को सहि मुल्‍याङ्‍कन गर्नुपर्‍यो नि! मेरा "बा" (courtesy of radha upadhyaya)ले भनेझैँ "घरबाट निक्‍िलहाल" गर्नु उचित हुन्‍न, हकि?

So please people, no more discussion of what the novel has, no more critique, just comment how good the novel is, please dont spoil it.