What themes do you work on? How do you develop the characters and narrative?
There is a common misconception that writers are influenced by their own experiences and personal histories. But that isn’t always the case as many authors make an effort to assemble and analyze the social events and experiences that have had an impact on them. I write about issues that provoke me. I overthink and put myself in these situations when I’m psychologically disturbed. And when I’m filled with all the ideas and information, I prepare myself to write. I usually write in a first person narrative. While working on travelogs, I try to recall all the happy and difficult moments I’ve experienced. Rather than themes, my travelogs are more about imagery, setting, and emotions attached to my journey. As for plot and character, I get them from the actual incidents which I then try to portray in my personal style. During the maoist insurgency, I talked to three girls who were kidnapped, bought as slaves, and sexually abused. This incident disturbed me so much that I wrote a story based on it. Which books and authors inspire you? When I was in my teenage years, I enjoyed the works of an Indian writer, Gaura Pant, also known as Shivani. She used a lot of Sanskrit words and I found it so beautiful. I’m also fond of reading Taranath Sharma. I enjoy the use of colloquial language and writing structure. Also, I love reading my father’s writing. I think these three writers have influenced my writing style. After the publication of my recent book ‘Misar’, I got a call from a well-known writer. He praised the use of Sanskrit in my book and voiced his surprise when he found out I wasn’t an expert at it. Shivani’s books have indeed left a lasting impression. Can you tell a little about ‘Misar’ and ‘Dakshinayan’? After Madan Puraskar, Uttam Shanti Puraskar is taken as one of the prestigious awards in Nepal. I’m proud to say that my book ‘Dakshinayan’ received that honor. Similar to how ‘Ramayana’ was titled after Rama’s journey, I called my travels to the south ‘Dakshinayan’. It details my trips to Uttarakhand, Manali, Shimla, and other locations in India. Misar is the story about my vacation in Egypt. Travel writings on Egypt are rare in Nepali literature. Also, I believe that it’s crucial to understand Egypt’s 5000 years of history, civilization, and monuments. As I observed the pyramids, graves, and other fascinating features, I felt compelled to inform my readers about Egypt. It was recently released in March 2023. Did your father ever help you in editing your work? When I started writing, my father was unaware of it. I used to hide my writings from him as I wasn’t confident about it. My husband found my manuscript and he sent it to a publishing house. It got published and eventually my father happened to read that. He praised my writing and asked for more. He even encouraged me to publish my other works .From that day, whenever I wrote, I showed it to him beforehand for recommendations. He has not just been an editor but also my biggest cheerleader. How do you ensure your writing stands out from that of other writers? My father advised me to focus on using Nepali vocabulary in Nepali writing and to use less foreign words. He believed that Nepali language is the best thing Nepali art has to offer. When I reviewed my work, it seemed I mostly used Hindi and Urdu. Over the years, I worked on it since I personally began objecting to the use of foreign language. Even now, most people replace ‘tarkari’ with ‘sabji’ and ‘samaya’ with ‘time’. I think this has to stop in Nepali books. I guess my work will stand out because of its simple Nepali vocabulary and entertaining writing style. Bhattarai’s picks: Belaet Tira Baralida by Taranath Sharma It is a Nepali travelog written by Taranath Sharma which was published in 1970 by Sajha Prakashan. It was also awarded the Madan Puraskar. Madhabi by Madan Mani Dixit Madhabi by Madan Mani Dixit is a Nepali mythological novel published in 1983 by Sajha Prakashan. The book won the Madan Puraskar in the same year.
