Posted on April 12, 2013 by Sweta Gyanu Baniya, Ph.D.
Book Review published in Today’s Republica Daily
Written over three decades, and sharing stories of times back till today, “Chapters” is a collection of 19 succinct, realistic and abstract stories by Amod Bhattarai. The stories, originally written in Nepali in different magazines over the years, have been compiled in a book, and translated by Prawin Adhikari.
Through his stories, Bhattarai has tried to give his readers different life experiences of individuals across the world exceeding topographical boundaries. Through his narratives, the author takes his readers back in time or to distant lands to peek into the lives of a variety of people. The book begins with an emotional account of a Nepali man entitled “The Embers That Remained” written in 1999, and ends his latest equally powerful story “And This Is Not A Story.”
Every story in the book has a sketch by Yogesh Khapangi, giving a luminous look to the book. Continue reading →
Posted on June 4, 2009 by Sweta Gyanu Baniya, Ph.D.
I have known B.P Koirala for his following of Sigmund Freud’s psycho-analysis. I was unaware of other of his books. “Sumnina” which I read a long time ago was a beautiful novel but it was full of sexuality.
I read Modian Modiaain by B.P. Koirala with the initiation one of the readers of this blog , Mr. Uddav Silwal. I am grateful to him that because of him I read that book and I am really happy to have read such a wonderful book. Continue reading →
Posted on November 2, 2008 by Sweta Gyanu Baniya, Ph.D.
Wacky!!!
Yes, the book is wacky but it is wonderful too. It took me a long time to finish. It was hard to read but I succeded to finish the book.
The work of the Nepali writer Sheeba Shivangani Shah is really appreciable. The novel however lacks many things. The main thing it lacks is the flow. (This might be my personal feeling). The language is too awkward too. Hard to understand and more than this hard to believe is the tantric practices.
Beyond the illusions is a novel which somehow makes you contemplate in the sense that it teaches us the way towards godhood and also urges us to find god within self. However the shocking evidences inside an ashram is hard to believe.
The writer has done a lot of hard work that is really appreciable. The hard work lies in providing us the truth of Tantric practices, the evidences and the real events. I read her interview as well and yes it is true the writer had really worked hard to bring this book.
The Novel is about the search for the true self, the god inside our soul within us, our own longing for the eternal truth, the bliss and the point of Nirvana. Bharavi, the protagonist happens to suffer so much and at the end she is able to find god within herself. The story blend of fact and fiction seems to be awesome but it is kind of soft porn, really hard to read and even sometimes unreadable.
The family tragedy at one place, the love and longing for a husband and the desire of wife and again the reversing story is wonderful. How Jayanta ( Bharavi’s Husband ) happens to leave his home in search of the Nirvana, and how Bharavi leaves her home to find and bring back Jayanta to the normal self but happens is just opposite, Bahravi finds out the Nirvana, who was never in search of it and Jayanta chooses normal Life in the end.
I felt pang when I read about molestation and abuse of female body such that it sounds unnatural and totally unreadable and also that happening in Tantra, unimaginable. It was really hard to believe the sexual activities involved in tantra.
The character Sadashiva lacks poetic justice for he receives death untimely, with the hand of the same creator who had held his hands when he was helpless and had become his gaurdian, his Guru. There I felt, if Bharavi had the powers then she should have stopped Swami killing his own loved disciple and also the one who loved and cared Bhairavi like nothing.
Moreover I enjoyed reading. The things about Kali fascinated me like nothing. It was really nice to learn to find god within myself. We should really appreciate this book for what it is. It is nice to read ….I must say this..as I enjoyed reading and when I finished reading I said to myself -: Thank God I could complete.
Posted on October 15, 2008 by Sweta Gyanu Baniya, Ph.D.
Painful….
I have read this novel over four times or say five times..and each time I finish the novel I feel pang and it hangs on my head for so many days. Why guilt is so painful that made such a strong women called Sakambari to suicide..or die…??
The novel has a wonderful language..the simplest of all. When I had read it for the first time..to tell the truth that I hadn’t really understood the novel, I felt the love story in it and I couldnot understand the passion in the novel.. But this day I may say I am able to figure out the passion and the feelings of the author..
I really appreciate the wonderful story, the plot the real setting, the real characters…and the situation of the novel till it ends. The pain of running away from the feelings and passion. When the Suyogbir says..”Ma glass ma bhagchu” ( I forgot the line exactly…). The feelings is that we run away from pain…because we want to forget the pain..pain that we are suffering in our life.
What makes the old Suyogbir..the most flirtous guy..to fall in love with his friend’s sister…who is half of his age..Sakambari..the character in the novel..seems to be such a strong woman..who is an atheist..who lives her life in her own way…The way she wants…The way she has been living..The inscet eating Sungavas…like whom she is…When she says “Jharnai parcha bhane afno iccha le jharne” ( still I forgot her words..) The book is here infront of me..
I found this underlined..which obviously I have done.. “Bari pani kehi rahasya lukaudi ho. Dhuwa ko Muslo bhitra ki awasya bari bhagdi ho dhuwa ma rangmangiyera”. These are the exact words of Suyogbir in the novel which expresses the feelings..that Bari has preserved. At this very moment I remember my friend Suraj, who have asked whether I know the reality. Then I got the impression of the truth behind the novel, Parijat herself..and her perfect blend of the fact….the truth of her own life…her own passion..the hidden truth..Then I understood the above lines..clearly..crystal clear…!!!
But I won’t tell the truth as well because I might be wrong to analyze the writer’s creation with the personal..that would be totally injustice..if I did that. So, I assume that I have understood all those symbolical words..hidden symbols..hidden passions..hidden..truth…and hideen Parijat above all..and thats awesome.
The most eluding thing about the novel is the flow of passion…the passion of Suyogbir..the passion of Bari and yes the passion of Bari’s brother..I forgot the name..Shanker??? no its Shivaraj…The novel is full of passion..and if we know one thing then all thing becomes crystal clear…but that one thing I would not like…share it here…(Perhaps peolpe know about it like my friend knew)
The novel really made me cry..and I always do this..Whenever I read I can’t control my trembling heart..I feel palpitation in my heart..and a serious pang…at the end when Suyogbir says….”Meri Sakambari ! Aba malai Sarirbhari Khopera Hidna maan lageko cha, Jeewan ko Asafaltha ho, Yo Jewan ko durbhagya ho, Manis yesai pani dhuki cha , usai pani dukhi ! sadhai ritto hath, ritto maan farkana abhyesta manche ma rittai farke”…….( right now too I am tearful ) The english transaltion would be done by Holmes..I am feeling sleepy..
But the feeling I want to write…these lines give a pang in my heart…how much has the failure in love accounted to Suyogbir..he has been tragic…so that he wants to hurt himself…and give him the physical pain..he even says at one instance..that loving Sakambari was more painful than his suffering there at Death-Valley…
Love’s great…Love’s worst…This must be the worst part of love..which covers..love itself..the unexpressed feelings..the lust..the sexual passion..the inner hidden desires…the LOVE itself….the tragedy…
P.S. This tragedy broked my feelings…really made me kneel down and cry at the faliure of a man’s love..which he could never make his..the guilt Sakambari…feels and unnatural death…The biggest faliure…pang in my heart……painfull…agony…and I am in tears right now too.
Posted on October 10, 2008 by Sweta Gyanu Baniya, Ph.D.
WONDERFUL !!!!!!!
Yeah I finished reading this book..given to me by Holmes after such a long time of reading and reading..reading a page..a day…….after so long…Actually I wanted to finish it in a day..but this “time”..I could not manage at all..all the time whether I would be tired and I would be busy blogging…but I finished it day before yesterday and the book I found simply wonderful and awesome…
I would like to say it is the most wonderful ficiton I have ever read..it really enlightened me..and guess what I am listening to my heart as before as I used to do which I have already left.. In the long run I have been indifferent to the inner voice that used to guide me. I really got disillusioned when I finished reading the book. The book is so much interesting…the adventurous travel by Santiago..and his excavation of treasure along with it his discovery of twin soul..
The story is interesting from the begining how a shepherd turn out to be a treasurer..wandering here and there…listening to his heart..being an Alchemist….Such a wonderful ficiton I have ever read..infact this is the only book that has been successful to give me a lesson…a lesson for a life time apart form the entertainment…
I find reading a part of my entertainment, personal enjoyment and my own way of living…Music is Mandatory….I enjoy reading when I am listening music…
The Alchemist…made me contemplate..gave me inner valor to find out what I wanted in my life….I have been changed in these few months and ( Yes I think you might have guessed poo and Holmes why and how I have been in the hues )..So I was being away from my destiny..I know how much ambitious I am…or I was…and I am so stubborn……But I was so away from what I wanted and this book The Alchemist made me realize what was my dream..what I wanted in my life…where is my treasure….where is my destiny..Moreover I liked one thing so much when the boy turn himself into wind…Then I realized that nothing is impossible, I need to listen to my heart…I want to turn myself into wind…I want to really find myself…find the Soul of the World…I want to learn the language of the world.. I want to achieve my treasure…like the boy did…I want to believe in the omens…I want to be like Santiago…
The most wonderful book I have ever read in life…the most enlightening and most contemplating….Realizing my dreams what were they..and what I want to achieve…I realized so many things…I learnt to hear my heart’s voice I found myself strong…No, I am not chicken hearted ….I know who I am..I can show myself…I know what my destiny is…I know what I can do…
P.S. I found this book really interesting and enlightening….I will keep this in my favourite list…and here is the title I want to give ” The most wonderful Book I have ever read” Loved the book so much…..
Posted on August 24, 2008 by Sweta Gyanu Baniya, Ph.D.
Shishir Sir told the story of “Frankenstein” our course Novel… I thought it to be a simple gothic novel or as I had read earlier the first Science Fiction Novel. I thought it would not be boring as “Robinson Crusoe” Nah!! it was not boring but I know Shishir Sir had made it boring I lost interest reading either its important for exam hehehe… But today it was different Sir told this for second time as i and some of my friends were absent yesterday. I thought it would be a simple ghostly story or gothic as sir hjad told while giving us the background but it was superb and wonderful either.
Till the end of the story Jyoti my classmate was in tears but thank god I wasn’t but there were so many internal conflicts inside me hearing the story of the novel or say PLOT as sir told the plot of Novel.The creature longing for love and happiness became so lovable..I or say we all the students totally sympathize for the monster like creature for its longing for love and happiness its identity and its social status in the society. I get attached with the monster however horrrible Shelly has tried to make it but it was who I felt piety in my heart and that was true because I loved the monster for its situation so bad. For it had feelings that colud be made it happy and sociable. Can I say it was Like me ….I controlled myself I am not a monster and for god’s sake I am not horrible….that was difference between me and the monster. But the feelings I must say were almost same.
By the end of sir’s lecture we all were spellbound and for the first time we didn’t shout and talk or else crack jokes about everything and anything. (I must say the normal daily classroom activities..) After so much laughter before the period we all were definately in a jolly mood and after Shishir Sir’s lecture on Frankenstein made us contemplate and I must say Jyoti’s tears were real….so much real. I could have cried but the conflict that the plot aroused inside me was stopping.
The monster wanted to have feelings, share feelings and be happy but this society restricted it and it is society who made it Monster…I am hopeless that whether this society will make me Monster either as it made that creature.
I must say an wonderful piece of art…and I am going to read it for sure …
P.S. I am contemplating and I am feeling spellbound.
The Coffee House Revival (Excavating Freedom) 