Could you please tell us a bit about your work?
When I first began writing, I published poem collections like ‘Lalita’ and ‘Sargam’, as well as several story collections like ‘Bhram Marga’ and ‘Ankhi Jhyal’. Then I published my first essay ‘Arthaheen Arthaharu’ in 1997. In the following year, this book was honored with ‘Uttam Shanti Puraskar’. My other essay collections include ‘Sambedanaka Swarharu’, ‘Samayaka Sambhavanaharu’, ‘Bhanaunki Nabhanaun’ and ‘Abhiwandha’, which was released two years ago. In this collection, I have expressed my opinion on different essayists. It was awarded the ‘Ganga Shilpa Samman’ along with a cash prize of Rs 50,000. It’s one of my most celebrated books since it’s a bit different from what I have written in the past. How do you develop ideas for an essay? For an essay, it’s necessary to conduct subjective research before sitting down to write. Without research, writing isn’t worthwhile. So, the first thing I do is carefully search for other literature and references in order to make my essay more creative and emotional. Do you share personal experiences or stories in your work? That happens quite often since the main goal of an essay is to contextualize events with sentiments. Once, I was traveling to Belgium for a literary event and my flight got delayed. I spent 23 hours waiting at the airport in Istanbul, Turkey. I took this experience and creatively expressed the feelings and philosophical ideas I had while waiting in my essay called ‘Kaha Dekhnu Afailai’. How do you ensure readers can relate to your point of view? It’s not easy to build a link between readers and writers. It’s only possible if the writer is able to capture people’s feelings and sentiments. I try to engage my readers by connecting my ideas to human emotions so that my book becomes their companion. While writing an essay, do you actively seek out differing opinions, or do you mainly focus on presenting your own arguments? I visited the Taj Mahal 45 years ago. Many consider the Taj Mahal to be a symbol of eternal love. But for me it was different. So I composed my essay highlighting disturbing details concerning the Taj Mahal’s construction using multiple historical references. Contrary to what it symbolizes, my essay was released under the title ‘Prem Mahal Hoina Taj Mahal’ in ‘Arthaheen Arthaharu’. So, it’s safe to say that I actively seek opposing viewpoints and present my arguments accordingly. What are some things that one must keep in mind while writing an essay? Without careful consideration, research, and multiple revisions, an essay will be dull and unoriginal. So, I believe that the quality of an essay is determined by the logic of the study, real-life instances, and the writer’s feelings. Also, writing is more than just capturing surficial details. The author must be able to express the underlying ideologies and perspectives on the subject. What advice would you give to aspiring essayists who are just starting their writing journey? Writing an essay is a challenging task. It takes a lot of research, time, and concentration. It differs from other formats like stories, poems, and travelogs. Those who desire to write essays must develop their own distinctive writing style. Shrestha’s picks: Abstract Chintan: Pyaj by Shankar Lamichhane It’s a Nepali essay collection by Shankar Lamichhane which was published in 1967. The collection was awarded with Madan Puraskar the same year. Laxmi Nibandha Sangraha by Laxmi Prasad Devkota This is a masterpiece written by Laxmi Prasad Devkota which was published in 2015 by Sajha Prakashan. It’s a must read for those who like essays.
