I hadn't seen any photographs of Mahakavi Devkota when he was young. I found this one in HIMAL. Do you have any in which he is younger than this?

Here is an article written by Devkota. It was printed in weekly Telegraph in 1999 ( I found it by google). I guess this was written during the time when he was a minister of the government of Nepal, but I am not sure. We can see how sweetly his language flows. A real master of the language!





"We think of ourselves first"

Laxmi Prasad Devkota


This morning a young writer came to me and expressed his eager desire to go into Rapti Valley where the Government of Nepal has been perfunctorily implementing a grand agricultural project. He said he had adventured into that valley in pursuance of my own suggestions. I recalled the day on which I had suggested Agriculture as the best possible course for us people here who wished to earn some honey- money without the magnetising capital necessary to attract it into out empty pockets. The majority of valley gentlemen, I had then explained, were a puzzled and overstrained class, with grabbing or profiteering instincts highly pronounced; but helpless to operate them in the absence of capital for investment in any field. We maintained a very precarious prestige by running out of breath every festival period; and our desire to make a small fortune for comfortable living landed us after a course of bitter frustrations in other fields in a government office where, very ill-paid and grumbling. We rubbed our calm palms together after a six-hour, regular prison duty about the worm eaten desks. We could not shake ourselves out of it for fear if the shock of sudden domestic unbalancing as the insistent demand of the daily cold oven could not be out off for a single reason. There was something like hereditary in out natural propensity to look up towards the secretariat as the most proximate, the most accessible of places of employment to keep the wolf from our door. And a position would be procurable by just a cleaver wire-pulling through a court favourite or a genuflection before a master of state job charities. The immediate and the proximate enslaved our spirits and barred the line for our wider and remoter visions. The train of my arguments, and the healthy analysis of the general situations among us, came back to me, as he made reference to the convincing speech I made that day, urging him to venture into the Rapti Valley for a preliminary inspection of possibilities. I remember how I had harangued him and accused his species of wanting in a strong effort of will and the spirit of healthy adventure. Business, I had explained, was uncertain and hazardous on the principles of honesty and sincerity in unwary and the inexperienced. Couldn?t the half-starved state of our government servant fit himself with a shake off one or other of the state programs for national developments in our new democratic vision? I had expatiated upon the natural superiority of Agriculture over other occupation; for was it not milking the Earth? Was it not the most natural of human operations, the most ancient and the most necessary? Did not conduce to healthier life in the open air? Was not a poet, of all men, most fitted by nature for it? Could not go into the most intimate communions with nature herself? Well: that was a day of inspired oratory, which had thoroughly, convinced my fellow writer. We had finished by indulging mutually in the poetic vision of a writer?s colony in that blessed region of natural beauties.

He was the writer of small brochure entitled ?Government Employment? in the days of the Under Payee?s Agitation, then a clerk on Rs. 17 per mensem, a sum which kept him starved with his family for three weeks. He is now an employee in the Nepal Radio at Rs. 100 or so per mensum, a pay nearly seven times higher than the original one. He said he had been in the said valley on a leave. He had inspected the land, and found it cultivatable with profit for us. Provided the water supply was assured. I asked him facetiously whether a man was not always on the verge of ninety-nine, and whether from the evils of starvation he did not intended to jump into the worse ones of surfeiture. He replied with a smile that people of our sort should never dream of affording to be guilty of that. We had certain discussions following during which I had the occasion to remark how we thought of the nation in any of the dreams or schemes that we entertained or sought to promulgate or implement. I went off into another price of oratory again on the evils of our general habits that made us self-centred would be profiteers without harmonising our actions of our principles to the spirit of state program or National Schemes.

I have dwelt long on that morning talk for the healthy spirit implied in it. Ourselves first is perfectly true of me as much as of any other censure. We must think of ourselves first. It is probable question for political and sociological science whether an underdeveloped state, maintained by money and gun-power, can have the right to expect thinking in terms fit of its individuals whom it has neither fed, clothed or employed profitably for itself. The Nepalese adapt form to the effect that a loaf is baked on both sides. Is it immortal, is it unintelligent to aspire to live where death by starvation is the general social law? To drive off the continually recurring wolf is the goal of lives in general. And of those who surfeit, goal is extension of affluence for future security. For there is no moral edict, no social sanction, no legal ban on indulgence is acquisition for luxury and power. Shall we not then, one and all, first think in terms of ourselves? Life, the poor ones cry! More life, wail the rich. And an amoral philosopher can find no fault in this operation of the vital instincts.

We, poor people, are dreaming continually of becoming living units in a discased or paralysed Body and struggling or to fulfil our dreams. We struggle to live so that the General Body that gives us no impulse may feel the presence of live cells sucking in something out of the general air. We are living apologies for galvanising into action a frame inanel something is wrong at the root. Everyone feels it. We are stunted dwarfish shruds his own symptoms, and to play his own doctor. There is no adequate energy for research. We can keep nothing in reserve after what we do for ourselves to the dictate of our starved moments.

That is what my brother does, with his wonderful intellect shown on the hands. On starvation wages on the Nepal Radio, he is heavily drunk at nights, and indulging in high-flown invectives against false pillars, social illusions, brainlessness and surfeiture. Extremely modern in outlook, and an amateur psychologist, he has no safe landing for his physical feet. He cannot step out of his own suicidal currents. That is an illustrative example for many a fellow brother at Kathmandu. Brains of high level are helpless. Limbs of high strength lie inert. Or if they must be yoked,?

( Text courtesy: Janmotsab journal-chief editor).

"Extremely modern in outlook, and an amateur psychologist, he has no safe landing for his physical feet. He cannot step out of his own suicidal currents. That is an illustrative example for many a fellow brother at Kathmandu. Brains of high level are helpless. Limbs of high strength lie inert."



Reading these lines over and over!!!

Gautam B and Hellbound,

Many thanks for your detailed info on our very own Romantic genius - Wordsworth!
********
Nepe jee,
Thanks for sharing the poem. Spellbinding. This aside, I happen to read your gazhals in a thread the other week. Can I say that only a few of us with such creative gift can produce writings of that quality - the sheer intensity of imagery the words engender does leave you speechless. I will try and be active to read your input on literary stuff from now on. My grasp of the Nepali literature is pathetic and it's time I got my acts together. I don't mean to say that my English one is any good either.
*****
John,
Pleasure always to see your shadows shooting past my screen! (funny metaphor eh!)
I have just posted my comments in your thread - BOYS DON'T CRY! I wish, we didn't have to! :)

Carpe diem.

get your copy of muna-madan here.

http://www.nepalikavita.com/khanda-kabya/Munamadan.pdf

gaalab jee, will do. Thanks for the handle.

Sandhurst Lahure जी, यति प्रिय शब्दहरुको लागि त धन्यवाद दिएर पनि ऋणी नै रहने छु म ।

देवकोटाले छायावादी धार (equivalent to Romanticism genre of the west ?) को कविताको ठूलो प्रतिनिधित्व गरेका छन् ।

मेरो एउटा विरल छायावादी कविता यहाँ छ । पहिल्यै देखनु भएको होला, नभए एकपल्ट छक्क पर्नु हुनेछ ।

- http://guild.sajha.com/guild/read.cfm?guildid=19

नेपेजी, माने तपाईँको सौन्दर्य चेत र वर्णन गर्न सक्ने क्षमतालाई। दोहोराएर पढ्दैछु।

"अनि, मग्न, मधुर, मदिर, तस्वीर सिताराको" ले भूपिको "मैनवत्तीको शिखा"को याद दिलायो।

प्रेरणा त भूपि नै हुन् । अनि अलिकति Nat King Cole's को Monalisa पनि र बाँकी त के भनिरहन प-यो र ।

नेपे

One more picture of young Devkota...

Devkota with foreign writers (in Moscow ?)

नेपाल नाटक संघ अगाडि देवकोटा

देवकोटा मृत्यु शैय्यामा

(All pictures I posted are from a documentary on Devkota)

नेपेझीको कविता फुर्नी जड कि यही प्राकृतिक सौन्दर्यता(यो पनि प्राकृतिक सौन्दर्यता त हो नि हैन?) हो कि गणतान्त्रिक चाहना हो। त्यसैले पनि गणतन्त्र छिटो नआओस् भन्छु म त। अरु अरु कविता फुर्दै जानु प-यो नि।
--- --- ---
मैले एउटा कुरो भन्न बिर्सेँछु।
अस्ति लक्ष्मी जयन्तीको लागि म फुल किन्न भनेर जाँदो थिएँ, चराले क्या मज्जाले बिस्ट्यायो नि मेरो कोटमा अनि झल्याँस्स नेपेजीको त्यो गजलको याद आयो मलाई। अनि अरुसित नि कुरा गर्नु मुन लाग्या थियो।
"को नेपेजी भन्लान् फेरि, अझ पछाडि सरेर साझा भन्या के, साझा प्रकाशन?" भन्लान् फेरि कति ब्याख्या गर्नी है हतारका बेलाँ, भनेर नबोली बसेँ। जे होस्, एक्लै घत प-या थियो।

नेपेझीको --> नेपेजीको

Nepe Jee,
Thank you v. much for your reply. Kritagya chhu tesko laagi, and for the link as well.

Simply, simply awesome! Can I assume that the picture is that of our very own SITARA, Sajha's 'Biraat Pratbha'? Lovely. Both picture and the poem - ode rather! Your ode does bring out the core of the semiotics at play in the picture - no other poem could have done better justice to it! Wonderful, wonderful ode - I really do envy your true craftsmanship as a poet/writer and the core of an intense poetic passion your craft brings out. This ode is enduring testimony to all that. And I hope that you'll agree to my calling SITARA above - a 'Biraat Pratibha'.

Do you have the english version of the poem? Just a thought.

Antim snaan sakera ubhiyeko chha euta atit
Gaajal ko kinaaraamaa
Kintu kridarat chha ajhai swapnilta
ekaantako jaukaa bihaarmaa
Yeo afnai gatimaa aayeko godhuli ho raaraako

Wow,,, amazing lines. This one again:

Timro kesh maanau kathaa ho kunai
Saagar ko dirgha kaid pachhiko kukti pachhi
Aakaash ma nirudeshya barraliraheko ek adhbainse baadal
Pahaad le thattai thataa ma diyeko chumbanmaa..

Lovely, lovely, lovely... no other metaphors could have done more powerful - Saagar ko dirgha kaid... wow. I might as well memorise the whole of the ode.

And this one here:

Aandhi sanga mit lagaayen, aago man paraayen
Nidaayeko basti baata sutukka ma haraayen..

Forgot who wrote these two lines - you might know! :) Re kyaa (The Sajha lingo is creeping into mine too, very unnoticedly!)

Thanks again for that and also for the Devkota pictures. Take care and have a good day. Carpe diem.

Ps: Nepe jee, pse do count me in as one of fans! And I'm serious.

Nepe jee,
Pse mind all those typos and this one:

'could have done more powerful@ to read 'could have bee more powerful metaphor@ etc..

Grrr... these friggin' fingers need sorting out. Dyslexic spells - my chronic disease mind you!

Have a good day.

Sajha ko saahitye kaar haru lai salut gardai , mero guru pardashi shri shri shri devkota ji ko lagi sampit gardai chu. ani mero shyahitic mitra haru lai yeso galti bhayema sachai maagna anurodh garda chu....yuhu tapai ko laato moneyminded



Mero aakhan ma paadeko paati
katai timi le ta fulakeko haina
Mero ladbadayeko boli haru
katai timi le nai ta sachayeko haina

Bir gati ko raanabhumi ma marne prayetna
Katai timi le na ta uthayeko haina
Mukti ko bato ma laadbadyeka kaadam
katai timi le nai ta doryayeko haina

Saririk sansar ko maya bata beelean huna
katai timi le nai ta dhekai yeko haina
Gharva bhitra lukeka kala haru
katai timi le nai ta jaanmayeko haina

Devkota ko nam sari dev ko rup bhaana
katai timi le nai ta dekhako haina
Gandarva ko geet sanaga jindagi sanga raamna
katai timi le nai ta jhumna sikako haina

लाहुरेज्यू,

नि:सन्देह एक "विराट प्रतिभा" कै प्रतिमा हो र प्रशस्ति कविको उर्वर कल्पना मात्रै नि:सन्देह होईन, यद्यपि सितारा शिष्टतावश यसलाई आफु "माध्यम" मात्रै भएको दावी गर्छिन् ।

अंग्रेजी अनुवादको लागि त म स्वयं लालायित छु ।

अनुवाद मेरो किल्ला हुँदै होईन र झन् अंग्रेजी त मेरो त्रासदी भन्दा हुन्छ ।

अंग्रेजी र अनुवादको कुरा गर्दा मेरो एउटा एक मात्र अंग्रेजी कविता र आफैले धृष्टता गरेको भावानुवाद याद आउँछ । यो यहिं कतै कुनै थ्रेडहरुमा छन् । खोज्नको आलस्यले भन्दा बेसी पुन: प्रचार गर्ने लोभले यहाँ टाँस्दैछु ।

कविता नै त के भनम्, यो जीवनको कुनै असंगत क्षणको वास्तविक सम्वाद थियो र करिब सात वर्ष अघि मेरो विश्वविद्यालयको विद्यार्थी पत्रिकामा प्रकाशित गर्ने छुद्रता समेत गरेको थिएँ ।

Your Blank Message

Not like a night
With pre-positioned stars and moon
Or with the sun borne sky
Sometime at the noon

It was rather like a dawning sky
Fresh, clear, silent and quiet
Or tranquil, relaxing, waiting
For something- like a twilight

A calm sea in the morning
A gentle breeze can pass by any moment
Or how about that garden
Where bloomed only the scent

It is a picture from an empty canvas
Some reasons had to make it invisible
Left to be touched by a dream's eye
And to be hanged on a heart's isle

It is a No with no 'No'
It is a Yes with no 'Yes'
It is an end without end
It is a beginning without a preface

It is a silence that has swallowed a thousand sounds !

Beloved you
I found a thousand words
In your blank message
All I had to do was
To stop trying to apprehend and
To be content with
Just feeling them

Thank you !


तिमीले पठाएको रित्तो चिठी

तिमीले पठाएको रित्तो चिठी
रित्तो थिएन

हो,
त्यो नाङ्लोमा थपक थपक हालिएको मस्यौरा जस्तै
आकाशको पूर्वनिर्धारित स्थानमा थपक्क बसेका जून र ताराहरु बोकेको
रात जस्तो थिएन
न त
सूर्यलाई कदरखुट्टी बोकेर
सकि नसकि हिंडीरहेको दिन जस्तो

त्यो त
बरु
मिर्मिरे जस्तो थियो
शान्त, ताजा र सिनित्त सफा
वा
सन्ध्याकाल जस्तो
प्रशान्त
विश्रामरत
र कसैको आगमनको प्रतिक्षारत

अथवा
मानौं
बिहानको शान्त फेवा
हावाको एक फाँको सट्ट आईदिन के बेर

अथवा
दन्त्यकथाको त्यो बगैचा
जहाँ अदृश्य फूलहरु फूल्दथे
सुगन्ध भएर

क्यानभासको त्यो चित्र
जुन कुनै आकस्मिक वाध्यतामा
हतार हतार मेट्न परेको थियो
यो शिघ्र विश्वासमा
कि
उसका सपना-आँखाले त देखिहाल्छ नि
उसका हृदय-ईजेलले त टाँगिहाल्छ नि

यो "न" नभएको नाई
यो "हो" नभएको स्वीकार
यो समापन बिनाको अन्त्य
यो भूमिका नभएको शुरुवात

तिमीले पठाएको रित्तो चिठी

सहस्र आवाजहरुलाई निलेर बसेको मौनता

प्रियतम !
तिम्रो चिठीलाई अर्थ्याउने प्रयासलाई विश्राम दिएर
केवल त्यसको अनुभूतिमा जब रम्दै गएँ
तिम्रो कस्सम
तिम्रो रित्तो चिठीमा
हजारौं हजार अक्षरहरु देखें

र धन्य भएँ ।
___

वाह वाह नेपेजी!

मनी ब्रो मैले बेवास्ता ग-या छैन। (हर्को धागोको प्रसगं।)
ल म यो कविता टाइप गर्दिन्छु है त नि:शुल्क, रे क्या।

बुरो म नेपाल जाँदा ट्याम् मिलाऽर आम्? जनवरी लास्टतिर। के गर्नु भिषा नचाहिना बेला छिरिएन अहिले भिषा चाहिन थालो रे।
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देवकोटा प्रति समपर्पित

- ईन्द्र बहादुर के. सी.
हकंकगं

मेरो आँखामा पारेको पाति
कतै तिमीले फुलाएको हैन?
मेरो लडबडाएको बोलीहरु
कतै तिमिले नै त सच्याएको हैन?
-१-
बिर गतिको रणभुमिमा मरणपर्यन्त
कतै तिमिले नै त उठाएको हैन?
मुक्तीको बाटो म लडबडाएको कदम
कतै तिमीले नै डि-याएको त हैन?
-२-
शारिरिक ससांरको मायाबाट बिलन हुन
कतै तिमीले नै त देखाएको हैन?
गर्बबित्र लुकेको कलाहरु
कतै तिमीले नै त जन्माएको हैन?
-३-
देवकोटाको नाम सारी देवको रुप, भन
कतै तिमीले नै देखाएको त हैन?
गन्धर्वको गित सगैं जीन्दगीसगं रम्न,
कतै तिमीले नै त झुम्न सिकाएको हैन?
-४-