Novelist Barsha’s new book ‘Abhyantar’ launched

Novelist Suman Barsha’s story collection ‘Abhyantar’ was launched on Thursday at a program held at the Parijat Hall of the Nepal Academy. The event featured prominent guests including chief guest Abhi Subedi, Gyanu Pandey, Nayanraj Pandey, Jagat Timilsina, Binod Chandra Pant, and Pushpraj Poudel.

Chief guest Subedi discussed Barsha’s storytelling, highlighting its uniqueness and her commendable efforts to introduce new themes. While Barsha, who teaches English, has stories that may seem simple at first glance, they exhibit influences from Western storytelling. Subedi noted that her collection stands out due to its inclusion of social issues, science fiction, environmental themes, and robotic tales, and added that Barsha has written some stories from different perspectives and styles, demonstrating a high degree of authorial freedom.

Similarly, in her remarks, Pandey pointed out that Barsha’s stories portray the realities of society by addressing various societal issues. She mentioned that Barsha’s collection provides a good depiction of society, stating, “Writers are the psychotherapists of society. They expose the inner wounds of society through literature and show paths for healing.”

Another speaker, Pandey, shared his reading reflections on Barsha’s collection, mentioning that some of her stories present diverse themes and styles. He described her as a courageous storyteller who effortlessly depicts various subjects and narratives in her works.

Other guests, including Jagat Timilsina, Binod Chandra Pant, and Somika Basnet, also shared their thoughts. Barsha, in her authorial remarks, discussed the inspirations and influences behind the stories in her collection. The two-hour program was chaired by Pushpraj Poudel, the Founder of Shikha Books, and was conducted by writer Ranjana Niroula.

Previously, Shikha Books had published Barsha’s novel ‘Antatah Yantrana’.