Sunday, August 12, 2007

tilled earth but barren kathmandu

Nimbus cloud hovered over Kathmandu sky but it dared not to drench me as I cycled towards British Council Library one evening to hear Manjushree Thapa. She was scheduled to recite some pages of her recent book ‘tilled earth’ that evening. Dusty roads and polluted air, reckless drivers honking, hip-hop generation speeding their pulsar like in hell, Kathmanduties seem on a big brawl to break civic law, it was total chaos picture. Every individual looks like dummies trotting, who forget to smile for ages. Many times I take time to watch people and try to read minds. Truly happy hearts are uncommon commodity. Indeed it is spine-tingling to wander into the “real” Kathmandu.

Nothing has been changed, neither British Council nor Kathmandu. Then I consoled myself calmly not to get irritated realizing this incomparable difference between Berlin (one of the most beautiful city of Europe that I recently been to) and Kathmandu (where I live with my hopes and dreams). I sighed to myself, ‘jay hos Kathmandu’ and sat in a vacant chair at corner of the library. I was an hour early of schedule so try to spend time surfing books in the library.
Manjushree Thapa, consider one of the prominent writer of Nepal. I read Thapa's book 'Forget Kathmandu: An Elegy For Democracy in Nepal' and her several write ups in various newspapers and it captivated me. I like her imaginative ways in investigating human parade subjectively. This is one reason, I got curious to hear her and get her new book 'tilled earth'.

That evening she read us, "Love Marriage". One of the longest stories in the book. Besides she also shared about her writing in the context of Nepal today. It was almost dark when I went back home owning a copy 'tilled earth' signed by Manjushree Thapa.

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