Submit your Article

Jaleswari Shrestha, a 76-year-old author and storyteller from Kathmandu, has gained widespread recognition for her literary contributions. Her notable works for children include ‘Pari ko Ghar’, ‘Pinky Ra Putali Haru’, a Braille book for visually impaired students, and anthologies like ‘Lava Ka Baaf Haru’, ‘Maun Bidroha’, ‘Phool Phoolaune Gamala’ and ‘Marriage Anniversary’. She published a novel ‘Niyati Chakra’ in 2012 which focuses on women’s empowerment. 

The feminist writer serves as the chairperson of ‘Gunjan Nari Sahitya Sanstha’ and is actively engaged in literary initiatives and programs. She was awarded the ‘Nawaranga Sahitya Bisesh Kadar’ in 2003, ‘Bal Sahitya Pratisthan Samman’ in 2006, ‘International Shaan Award’ in 2010, and ‘Bishwa Nari Nepali Sahitya Padak’ in 2014 among others. In an interview with Babita Shrestha from ApEx, the author spoke about her literary journey and the books she has written.

Can you tell us about your writing journey?

My journey as a writer began with a deep love for reading. I read  Mahabharata and Ramayana which later helped me express myself through writing, initially in Nepal Bhasa. Despite being a full-time homemaker after marriage, I later found solace in writing. I used to publish them in newspapers. 

Growing up, I saw a lot of gender bias, polygamy, and women being suppressed. Even the educational opportunities were different for boys and girls. It got to me and every time I spoke up about it, I was told to keep quiet. There were moments when I wished I was born a boy just so I didn’t have to face those challenges. Then, my children needed their father’s permit for something in Darjeeling. But my husband was out of the country. My authorization letter was rejected. An uncle had to step in. That hit hard because I was restricted from doing a simple motherly duty. Later, that frustration found its way into my debut book, ‘Lava Ka Baff Haru. It has 21 stories and was published in 2001. 

Since then, I’ve been on this writing journey, putting together story collections, children’s books, and novels. My writing is all about sharing my experiences and shedding light on social issues, especially those related to gender and family dynamics.

What compelled you to tell the kind of stories you do?

I ended up writing the kind of stories I do because back in the day, the idea of women leading independent lives in our conventional society was a far-fetched dream. Polygamy was the norm, and divorces weren’t as common as they are now. But for widowed women, life was a whole different struggle. And let’s not even get started on the unfair consequences women had to face even when they were victims of violence.

 The whole gender bias and the patriarchal setup used to drive me crazy, and I needed an outlet. So, I started pouring all those emotions and my take on these issues into my stories. It’s like a reflection of the three generations I’ve seen—me, my daughter, and now my granddaughters. The fight against gender discrimination is still on and I feel this strong urge to bring those harsh realities to light, which is what I’m currently working on. There’s also the joy of writing about nature and creating children’s stories. It’s my way of exploring different aspects of life and bringing some diversity into my writing.

 How do you write a story? Where do you find the inspiration from?

When I’m working on characters that people can connect with, I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve. Women in Nepal are driven by a patriarchal mindset and that’s something I often delve into in my stories. Take ‘Phool Phoolaune Gamala Haru’ for instance. It’s about discrimination and nature. I have compared our life to the life of plants. Writing is about finding relatable angles.

 In ‘Niyati Chakra’ I’ve dug into the wild side of women, exploring freedom and shining a light on the harsh realities we face. I’m all about empowering women through my writing. When I’m sketching out characters and weaving the plot, it’s a mix of digging into my memories and throwing in a splash of imagination to make sure the storyline does justice to reality.

 What are the challenges of being a writer and how do you overcome them?

There were many hurdles. But the support I got kept me going. When I decided to dive into more explicit themes in ‘Lava Ka Baff Haru’ with all those complex love affairs and relationships, my sister and friends were genuinely worried for me. They thought I might be stirring up too much trouble. But my husband was my rock through it all and he had my back.

 Despite the raised eyebrows and concerns, I still published the book. I was on a mission to shake up that patriarchal and male chauvinist mindset. I wasn’t going to back down. Surprisingly, I got a lot of praise for how I delved into the inner workings of a woman’s heart. I consider it to be my first step in making people have an open mind about sexuality and gender equality.

 Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

You must approach writing with dedication and a sense of responsibility. Don’t allow others’ opinions to hinder your imagination. Writing should feel unrestricted and effortless, like a conversation. So don’t hesitate to express your creativity freely. Don’t be scared of people judging you and enjoy sharing your stories.

‘How to Kill Your Family’ is narrated in the first-person by Grace Bernard, a 20-something Londoner who hates her millionaire father. He refused to acknowledge her as his daughter. She and her mother had miserable lives while he shuffled between his luxury homes. Now, Grace’s mother is dead and she wants revenge. She wants to kill her father, but not before she kills the rest of his family members. She wants him to suffer.

 But before she can kill him, she ends up in prison. She isn’t caught for the many murders that she does commit but for one she had nothing to do with. In prison, Grace keeps a journal in which she documents the six murders she committed. She describes them in great detail, almost relishing them and in her flawless execution.

The book had potential—the plot is interesting. The characters are well-crafted. But the author didn’t flesh out the story beforehand. The first few chapters are good and the story picks up pace mid-way. But the ending feels forced and abrupt. Grace kills people in ingenious ways but that’s all she’s doing and after a few murders you can guess what she’s going to do. It gets repetitive and boring.

The story is peppered with biting commentary on the consumerist culture. These bits are fun and provide insight into Grace’s mindset and what drives her. But Grace still comes across as acerbic and annoying. I could never empathize with her. Even when some people have been kind and taken care of her, she’s been ungrateful, always questioning their motives. She never grew on me.

Also, since the story is narrated only from Grace’s perspective, you get a one-dimensional view of what’s happening. Grace is a cynical narrator and thus every character comes across as silly and vile. There is only black and white in Grace’s world and as a reader you find Grace’s ideas being forced onto you. It’s quite a discomfiting feeling at times.

How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie is a light read you will forget the minute you finish it. It goes downhill pretty quickly. But you will have some fun while reading it. The writing is humorous and some passages will resonate with you, or you will vehemently disagree with the protagonist’s ideas. Whatever the case, your opinions and biases will surface time and again. In that way, the story will lead to some introspection, which can sometimes be a much-needed thing. But don’t go into it expecting it to be a great read, it’s just an average one.

Fiction

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/50224049 

How to Kill Your Family

Bella Mackie

Published: 2022

Publisher: Harper Collins

Pages: 359, Paperback

I have closely followed the Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track national pride project for over two years. Whenever I’ve inquired about the project with the Nepali Army, which is responsible for its execution, they assert that everything is on track. However, the actual on-site progress tells a different story.

Since the government entrusted the project to the army six years ago, the deadline has been extended four times. The most recent deadline is set for April 2027. But the progress of the fast track stands at a mere 28.56 percent, with financial progress at 29.44 percent.

During my recent visit to the site, my primary focus was on the tunnels. I visited the construction site of three tunnels—Mahadevtar, Dhedre, and Lendanda. Work on three other tunnels has yet to start.

Currently, out of the total 6.415 km length of three tunnels, 3.592 km has been completed, marking a progress rate of 56 percent. This might be a hopeful sign.

The government has urged people not to panic about the new variant of the coronavirus identified in India. Health authorities in Nepal say they are closely monitoring the development in India.

India has been seeing a rise in the number of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1. As per media reports, 614 new Covid cases have been detected in India as of Wednesday. Meanwhile, three people infected with the new variant have died in Kerala, per the reports.

Nepal however hasn’t seen a rise in the number of coronavirus cases as per the Ministry of Health and Population.

The World Health Organisation has designated the new variant as a “variant of interest” separate from its ancestor BA.2.86 that is commonly referred to as Pirola.

WHO maintained that there was no evidence to suggest that the new variant poses additional public health risks.

JN.1 is a closely-related descendant of BA.2.86, a highly mutated strain that first worried scientists over the summer. BA.2.86 was deemed a “variant of interest” by the WHO back in August.

The WHO defines variants of interest as strains that are worrying enough to trigger stepped up investigations of the variant by countries, like laboratory studies and field investigations of its outbreaks.

“Many people in Nepal have had the infection and people have received at least two doses of the vaccine. Therefore, the probability of severe disease is low,” said Dr Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population.

Problems related to the respiratory system are currently increasing in India and China.

“Intensive care units, oxygen plants, and other physical infrastructure constructed during the Covid-19 pandemic can be utilized if needed,” Dr Budhathoki added.  

Health desks established at checkpoints and international airports have been placed on standby, and a request has been made to place patients with respiratory problems under special supervision.

“As the infection is seen in Kerala, we are relatively at lower risks. If the infection was seen in the southern areas of India that borders Nepal it would have been quite risky as there are high chances for the variant to enter the country in a shorter time span,” Dr Budhathoki said.  

The spokesperson also informed that patients with long-standing respiratory problems have been recommended for gene sequencing.

The ministry has requested health centers to keep a check on the people visiting the hospitals with the symptoms of coronavirus and has asked them to submit a report to the ministry.