NATIONAL 6 -(Spotlight Weekly)]

Reading Nepali

Nepal has a vast ocean of literature. Let's not forget to recommend our Bhanubhaktas and Laxmi Prasads to the pillars of our future.

BY AKSHAY SHARMA

The youth in Kathmandu seem to be more attracted by foreign literature in their attempt to enhance their English skills. In that process, they have disregarded the vast richness of Nepali literature. "Most of the customers that visit my shop seem more attracted towards English literature compared to Nepali," says the owner of Himalayan Book Center.

"The trouble with the urban population in the country is that they have been influenced by the West to such an extent that they seem to have forgotten their own identity," says an analyst.

Tek Rai remembers an interesting conversation and he shared it with us:

"The other day I went to a wedding party. When dessert was served, Mrs. Shrestha (one of Tek's friends) said, "I've exciting news for all of you."

"So tell us," someone said.

"My son has read his first book." So we all raised our glasses to toast the occasion.

"How old is he," Arvind (one of Tek's friends) said.

"He'll be eighteen next month," Mrs. Shrestha told us.

"That's great," Mr. Sherpa said. "My son is 21 and hasn't read a book yet."

" Sanjay always has been a bright student," Mrs Shrestha bragged.

"What book did he read," Sherpa asked.

"Swet Bhairawi by B.P. Koirala," she answered. (B.P. Koirala's works are psychological and sometimes touch upon sexual contexts.)

There was an embarrassed silence at the table.

"What's wrong ?" Mrs. Shrestha wanted to know.

"Swet Bhairawi is a dirty book," said Mr. Sherpa. "Where did he get hold of such filthy literature ?"

"He found it at his friend's house," Mrs. Shrestha answered.

Padam (one of Tek's friends ) was outraged, "You ought to tell him not to go out with those kinds of kids. It may not be his friend's fault, maybe he didn't even know it was there."

"But my son seemed to enjoy it," Mrs Shrestha said defensively.

"Sure he enjoyed, " Padam said. "It is full of sex and bad words. It doesn't belong in the hands of a boy like your son. He should be reading JD Salinger's 'Catcher in the Rye', James Joyce's 'Flanigan's Wake'. And don't forget Somerset Maugham's 'Of Human Bondage'."

"If you don't watch your kid carefully, the next thing you know he'll be reading more stuff like that," warned Mr. Sherpa.

"There are books and there are books," Padam said. "My daughter came home with 'Chandra Bandhan' (also written by B.P. Koirala ) in her hands. And I told her if she brought anything like that in the house I would burn it."

"But my son has already read it," Mrs. Shrestha lamented. "What should I do?"

"Watch him closely," Padam suggested. "Search his room. If you find a book by Laxmi Prasad Devkota, Bhimnidhi Tiwari under his bed, he is in big trouble. If I were you, I would throw them away."

"I wish I had kept a closer eye on my son. I let him read 'Seto Bagh' when he was 15, and the next thing I know, he brought home 'Nepalko Rajnaitik Darpan' (The Political History of Nepal) by Grisma Bahadur Devkota," Arvind said.

"How do you find out what books are bad for your children?" Mrs. Shrestha wanted to know.

"What book is he reading now?" asked Arvind.

"Sumnima," Mrs. Shrestha replied.

"I hate to tell you, but you have a sick kid in your hands," Padam said.

"Let's leave them to these gossips. Let's stop and think. We Nepalis, too, have a vast ocean of literature. Let's not forget the Bhanubhaktas and Laxmi Prasads. Shouldn't these books be recommended for our future pillars?"

Tek's recollections make me wonder why I keep writing in English.

(The names of the characters have been changed to protect their identity.)