I have now got my ghazal completed, the incomplete version of which was posted in the thread (or threat ?) of "Sitara's Musings".

I did not recite it at the Room Poetry Reading organized in Virginia this past Sunday. I rather decided to recite two of my old ghazals 'Timi Adeko Sanghaar' and 'Chulubulu Chulubulu'. (By the way, the event, organized in Woodbridge, Virginia at Homnath Subedi's home and attended by some Sajhaites and a number of local poets and an American couple was a huge success- with free flow of sura, kavita and the discussion on the later).

This ghazal is going to appear in a local ezine. Nevertheless, for fellow Sajhaites, I am posting it right here.

Share the frustrations, fears, alarm and call of duty of your fellow countryman.

For those who would like to see poets and writers silenced on the political front (reality of life), please read following article "The Silence Of Writers" by John Pilger:
http://www.countercurrents.org/arts-pilger111103.htm

He ends with:
"They won't say..." wrote Bertolt Brecht in "In Dark Times", "... when the great wars were being prepared for... they won't say: the times were dark. Rather: why were their poets silent?"

-ViV

Deep ji, ur poems are really good...

Vivasme,

Thanks for the link. That was really a good read. Although I am not a good reader to know about all the references cited, I understood the argument.

I do not believe in the segregation of art and politics. But at the same time, I also don't believe in amalgamation of these two. These two can live together, serve each other without losing their individual identity and characters.

I also don't believe in the notion of art for art's sake. In my view, this is a totally hypocritical and non-sense. If an artist indeed has created an art for art's sake, he would not display, publish, release or distribute it. If he does, then it was never for art's sake; it was for the consumers of art. Admit it, damn artist.

When you create something for other than yourself, you naturally have an accountability, if not a responsibility.

Now, I do not believe in a grand set of guidelines for artists provided by the elites. I rather believe in open and free lenden (trade ?) between the producers and the consumers of art. Call it the capitalism of art. Yes, I believe in it. I do not believe in the socialism of art (a system of grandly guided art). Because I think the capitalism of art eventually serves the purpose of the socialism of art.

How ?

Well, this way. An artist is also a consumer of art. When he creates an art for himself, we can trust, he will not be guided by the latest trends in the dirty market or corporate equivalent interest of art.

I think we can not ask for more than this at this stage of our civilization.

As I said at the beginning, I don't believe in the segregation of politics and art. In other words, I do not believe in apolitical art. I think, as a matter of fact, the idea of apolitical art is more political than politics-insensitive art, because it serves to a certain political interest ý particularly in a time of social unrest.

I am glad to see DP ji did not call for apolitical literature. What he is saying is literature should be one step ahead of [partisan] politics. It's indeed so.

**********

I do have a thing or two to say about the state of Nepali literature at this of unrest and conflict (athough I am not qualified). I am not making a sweeping generalization by saying so, but I am generally disappointed to see profound stories of suffering and pain made mere news materials by the writers and reduced to rhetorical materials by the poets.

I am not questioning the ability of our writers and poets. But I am questioning their courage- not against the power, but against themselves, against their fear of encounter with the ugliest things in their naked state. There are so many unbearably ugly stories, degradation and suffering going on, our artists have chosen to turn them into bearable news items and rhetorics and they are in a mode of survival, rather than in a mode of living and fighting.

Looks like they are waiting for the war to end to begin their fight.

***********************

Zombie,

The precursor of Ghazal is Qasida (raja-maharaja haru ko stuti kavita) that came to Muslim ruler's court in India from Persia and evolved into Ghazal.

In Nepali literature, Motiram Bhatta introduced it. However, there has not been any significant contribution to Nepali Ghazal since then till one or two decades ago when likes of Gyanuwakar Poudel, Lalijan Rawal started to practice it. These days you can see floods of ghazals in Nepali literature. Most sikaru kaviharu and occasionally naam chaleka haru pani, do not always write in the traditional format and are often referred to as 'fazal'. I don't know how this word came in circulation, though.

My favoritest (Sitara 2004) ghazalkar is Bund Rana.

There is a collection designated as 'Utkrista Ghazal haru' at nepalikavita.com. I would rather call it a collection of samples from 'Utkrista Ghazalkar haru'. Bund Rana's best ghazals are found elsewhere. I liked the samples from Manoj Neupane and Dibya Giri. Check them out,

(- http://www.nepalikavita.com/100_gajals.htm )

******************

Narayan Adhikari,

Thank you for posting your kavita. I want to share with readers here the quick comment I had made at the Reading.

The thing that fascinates me in this style of poem is the fact that the poem assumes a personality partially independent of the poet. It may be both weakness as well as strength of the poem, though.

In any case, in our busy life style, this kind of sleek, slim and sexy poetry may be very suitable to us.

Vivasme,

Thanks for the link. That was really a good read. Although I am not a good reader to know about all the references cited, I understood the argument.

I do not believe in the segregation of art and politics. But at the same time, I also don't believe in amalgamation of these two. These two can live together, serve each other without losing their individual identity and characters.

I also don't believe in the notion of art for art's sake. In my view, this is a totally hypocritical and non-sense. If an artist indeed has created an art for art's sake, he would not display, publish, release or distribute it. If he does, then it was never for art's sake; it was for the consumers of art. Admit it, damn artist.

When you create something for other than yourself, you naturally have an accountability, if not a responsibility.

Now, I do not believe in a grand set of guidelines for artists provided by the elites. I rather believe in open and free lenden (trade ?) between the producers and the consumers of art. Call it the capitalism of art. Yes, I believe in it. I do not believe in the socialism of art (a system of grandly guided art). Because I think the capitalism of art eventually serves the purpose of the socialism of art.

How ?

Well, this way. An artist is also a consumer of art. When he creates an art for himself, we can trust, he will not be guided by the latest trends in the dirty market or corporate equivalent interest of art.

I think we can not ask for more than this at this stage of our civilization.

As I said at the beginning, I don't believe in the segregation of politics and art. In other words, I do not believe in apolitical art. I think, as a matter of fact, the idea of apolitical art is more political than politics-insensitive art, because it serves to a certain political interest ý particularly in a time of social unrest.

I am glad to see DP ji did not call for apolitical literature. What he is saying is literature should be one step ahead of [partisan] politics. It's indeed so.

**********

I do have a thing or two to say about the state of Nepali literature at this of unrest and conflict (athough I am not qualified). I am not making a sweeping generalization by saying so, but I am generally disappointed to see profound stories of suffering and pain made mere news materials by the writers and reduced to rhetorical materials by the poets.

I am not questioning the ability of our writers and poets. But I am questioning their courage- not against the power, but against themselves, against their fear of encounter with the ugliest things in their naked state. There are so many unbearably ugly stories, degradation and suffering going on, our artists have chosen to turn them into bearable news items and rhetorics and they are in a mode of survival, rather than in a mode of living and fighting.

Looks like they are waiting for the war to end to begin their fight.

***********************

Zombie,

The precursor of Ghazal is Qasida (raja-maharaja haru ko stuti kavita) that came to Muslim ruler's court in India from Persia and evolved into Ghazal.

In Nepali literature, Motiram Bhatta introduced it. However, there has not been any significant contribution to Nepali Ghazal since then till one or two decades ago when likes of Gyanuwakar Poudel, Lalijan Rawal started to practice it. These days you can see floods of ghazals in Nepali literature. Most sikaru kaviharu and occasionally naam chaleka haru pani, do not always write in the traditional format and are often referred to as 'fazal'. I don't know how this word came in circulation, though.

My favoritest (Sitara 2004) ghazalkar is Bund Rana.

There is a collection designated as 'Utkrista Ghazal haru' at nepalikavita.com. I would rather call it a collection of samples from 'Utkrista Ghazalkar haru'. Bund Rana's best ghazals are found elsewhere. I liked the samples from Manoj Neupane and Dibya Giri. Check them out,

(- http://www.nepalikavita.com/100_gajals.htm )

******************

Narayan Adhikari,

Thank you for posting your kavita. I want to share with readers here the quick comment I had made at the Reading.

The thing that fascinates me in this style of poem is the fact that the poem assumes a personality partially independent of the poet. It may be both weakness as well as strength of the poem, though.

In any case, in our busy life style, this kind of sleek, slim and sexy poetry may be very suitable to us.

Two new sher added to one of my recent ghazals.

With important message to fighters ...

glossary:
Khaag = veteran
Sangraam = battle
Yuddha = war

Nepe ji, you need to publish your ghazal collection. I think your ghazals are not any less 'Utkrista' than the one's listed by nepalikavita.com. I think, Sajhabashis would agree with me. Thank you for expressing your views about art, literature and politics.

Also, here is what Mr. Hom Nath Subedi (who hosted the Room Poetry Reading event in Woodbridge, VA) has to be say about if/how literature can play a role in bringing and maintaning peace in the [Nepali] society. October issue of paradesh.com just published his interview at:
http://www.paradesh.com/readArt.php?artId=953

I am still working on posting some more poems read at the event or written by the poets there..

-ViV

Thank you Nepe for sharing your knowledge about Ghazal. As I mentioned earlier, I have enjoyed your every creations posted here. My Kaka Bau is a writer himself (Mohan Himansu Thapa). Since my childhood, I have keen towards Nepali poetry. Never heard of Ghazals. I got to read it here and enjoyed even more. That may be the curiosity behind it. Waiting for more of your creation. Thank you.

ViV,

Thank you for your kind words. I do have a dream of publishing a collection of my ghazals and getting the Nobel Prize. OK, that's too high. How about Madan Sahitya Puraskar, like Gopal Parajuli's poetry just bagged for this year.

Aba tetro mahatwakanxya rakhe pachhi, kriti pani ta hunuparyo ni dhunwadhar. So I am working very hard to learn to write puraskar-yogya ghazals. Inshallah, I will succeed some day.

Also thank you for the link to the article about Homnath Subedi ji.

Homnath ji is a living history. He has seen so much. He knows so much. Unfortunately the article fails to present him in a coherent way. I admire Kamala ji for her involvement and dedication to many social causes I can only dream of. However, her writing majhina ajhai baanki chha, in my humble opinion.

As far as how we can contribute to the cause of peace is concerned, I think the question is a part of a bigger and sanatan question of Sahityakarmi haru ko samajik uttadayitwa, which again is the question of the balance of his kala prati ko uttardayittwa and samajik uttardayittwa. If I look from one step back, I find Uttadawittwa a loaded word. If we dissect this word non-idealistically, I think, it will break down into simple things like, byakti byakti ko chetana star, ruchi, paribesh and so on.

While I am at it, the introductory note for the winner of the Nobel Prize in literature just announced comes before my eyes. Particularly the phrase- 'the absurdity of society's clichýs'.

Now I am dying to learn more about the work of that smiling Austrian lady, Elfriede Jelinek.

The Nobel Prize in Literature 2004

Elfriede Jelinek

Austria

"for her musical flow of voices and counter-voices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic zeal reveal the absurdity of society's clichýs and their subjugating power"

*******************

Zombie,

It is a pleasure to know you are related to the renowned poet Prof. Mohan Himanshu Thapa and that that is where your affinity to poetry comes from. I really do not know much. Kahilekahin eso ghazal (gajal) lekhney prayaas garchhu, tyatti ho.

Talking about the situation of ghazal (note that the spelling is taken from transliteration system of Urdu-Hindi. It is spelled 'gajal' in Nepal.), certain melodious songs (sung by, for example, Ghulam Ali, Murali Dhar, Ananda Karki ) have been categorized as ghazal. From a musical point of view, they do fall in a certain category, and it is probably OK to call them ghazal, at least until real ghazal singing emerge in Nepali music. However, from a literary point of view , there is not even a single (to my knowledge) lyrics among them which is a pure ghazal. Even Yash Kumar's 'Maile choyeko pani chaldaina' isn't a ghazal.

Ghazal writing follows certain rules, the major ones are: sher (couplet), qafiya (mono-rhyme), radif (refrain) and baher (meter).

So the real era of ghazal in Nepali music is yet to begin.

If you are intereseted to learn more about ghazal, following links might be helpful.

Introduction to Urdu Ghazal
( - http://www.msci.memphis.edu/~ramamurt/ghazal.html )

What is a ghazal ?
( - http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~navin/india/songs/ghalib/ghazal.def.html )

Basic points
( - http://members.aol.com/poetrynet/ghazals/ )

English Ghazal
( - http://www.ghazalpage.net/ )

Nepe sir,
Is "Gazal" different from "Ghazal"?
May be this article in TKP be an interest to your students:
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=18715

nepe timro gazal malai dherai ramro lagyo. I am surprised sajha has got some very talented individuals like you. keep up the good work. hope to see from you more.

ViV,

I prefer to spell it 'ghazal' because that is what is widely in use in the countries of it's origin and elswhere. Gazal and gajal are just the alternative spellings of the same thing.

Thank you for the link to an interesting article.

Ghazal, having been a successful bridge between music and the literary poetry, draws it's power from both of these sources. It may be true for non-ghazal lyrics as well. However, ghazal happens to have a rich tradition established by classic poets and musicians from Hindustan which still goes on.

I have often heard and experienced myself that there is a huge difference in pleasure between reading a ghazal from the printed paper and listening to the recital, with or without tarannum (laya halera). Aba professional singer le gaaune kura ta ke bhanirahana parchha ra.

Even reciting a ghazal to an individual and in a group (Musha'ira) is not the same. Let me share my experience. I have a Nepali friend where I work. I had recited one of my ghazals to him and his reaction was so so. But when I recited the same ghazal in DC for a larger group of poets along with my friend, he was blown away and said he did not have realized what a powerful stuff he was listening before. Hmmm..

May be it was the atmosphere. However, I can tell this. Since ghazal heavily relies on symbols and metaphors for expression, the larger the audience, the more complete it gets interpreted, perhaps.

Talking about the delight of listening to the recital of ghazal, here is a sample of a ghazal recital by my favorite shayar, Khumar Bara Bankvi.

I don't understand all of the shers. But even then, I enjoy them all the same.

( - http://www.urdulife.com/mushaira/mushaira.cgi?kb_g6 )

*******************

Thank you, Hareeb, for your encouraging words.

INLS DC Metro Chapter President Prof. Mohan Sitoula on the "The War Poems":
http://www.peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=335
-ViV

Thank you ViV for bringing such a moving essay by Mohan jee to our attention. The resume at the footnote also is informative to interested readers.

What a reflection on our time-

Now that the world is heavily drenched with the holy human blood, from the deaths ? cold and hot . There are great political leaders as the war wagers and there are big chieftains as the makers of terror. As a result, the innocent humanity seems to be helpless and it is being a melancholic topic of universal elegy. A collective conscious of melancholia and terror seems to be the spiritual sap for all living to-day .In the name of revolution , freedom and emancipation, in the name of defeating the terrorists and in the name of nationalism or for a faith the sad deaths are everywhere . The price has been priceless. Now how will such creative expressions made by the will of peaceful life against war and destruction will have an appeal to the quick of these wagers and makers, that is the question !
The following poem by an American modern poet of Alaska is , I think, worth

I remember my conversation with Mohan jee during one of his speeches when he was pretty much elaborating what is said above. I was insisting more on the naturality of the contemporary history and my interpretation of the events as we are at a threshold of a new world with fuller commitment to freedom and justice.

Thanks ViV.

nepe jee your ghazals r really very good.

More on Peace and Literature from Prof. Mohan Sitoula:
http://www.peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=783

All,
just sharing an article of Avi Subedi that is some what related to things discussed on this thread:
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=27374

Here is what he writes about role of Nepali literature in social awareness:

"..To evoke a little historicism, in Nepal literature has played the pioneering role in creating ironically social awareness about many issues. Some major Nepali literary works have been metaliterary in nature, which means that the literary writers have addressed the social issues like opening the doors of Nepal to the world, opening universities, introducing linguistic subjects (like the Jharrobadis, whose contribution is important in the discourse about the sociology of language), and very importantly, the ideological questions. The early critical discourses and debates especially those written by the Bame and one or two non-bame writers like Krishnachandra Singh Pradhan, Taranath Sharma, Iswor Baral, Govinda Bhatta, Shankar Lamichhane, are very important ideological debates. They brought for the first time the Marxist epistemology in the social and educational discourses of Nepal. The tradition continues today but without the passion and missionary zeal of the erstwhile Marxist writers. But if you read at the metaliterary level the novels and essays of writers like Shankar Lamichhane, Parijat, Bhoopi Sherchan, Khagendra Sangraula, Narayan Dhakal, Govinda Bartaman and many others, you can see how literary epistemology of the Bames and others has directly addressed the sociological issues.

We have always grappled with the problematics of translations in literature. In some cases we have given hegemonistic legitimacy to these texts. Sometimes our demarcating lines drawn between translation and original writing written under the influence of the literature of the west become fuzzy..."

On a different topic, I noticed another interesting article by him about Nepali American youths on "Samaya Rekha" column of Nepal magaizne a few months ago. Here is the link:

http://www.kantipuronline.com/Nepal/Archive/115th%20issue/samayarekha.htm

Here is what one of the NA based NRNs had to say about this article:

"Interesting article! I liked the begining and the development of
feelings and ambivalence of emotions among diapora depicted in the
article but the conclusion etc was quite fuzzy and rather
disappointing.

It would have been more meaningful if he had elaborated little more and
give us the feeling as what is it that Nepali in Nepal feel about
diasporas' concern. How is such concern useful for Nepal and how Nepali
in Nepal can get connected ( if at all) to such feeling to spin it
positively.Sadly, I did not find such nuances in his writing."

-ViV

ViV,

Links for interesting lekhs by two Gurus, Sitaula and Subedi, you have posted here. Thanks.

Mohan ji's write-up is too general, perhaps more than the writer's disclaimer intended to make it acceptable, in my humble opinion. Abhi Subedi might say the same thing about Mohan ji's lekh what he said about Chaitanya. However, I do hope the upcoming part will be more specific and focused. I look forward to reading that part.

Abhi's is very interesting and as always analytical and enlightening. Got introduced with interesting concepts like 'Defamiliarization' and 'exoticization'. Nepalis writing in English (not necessarily the language) and translating it back to Nepali is seen as a process of exoticization. I am not sure that is what it really is, though. I mean the exoticization might have happened, if it is there indeed, before it is reverse translated.

Abhi mentions about a bizarre book from Panchayat kal that Sajha Prakashan is selling now (I hope I did understand correctly). He does not mention the name of the book, however. Anybody knows about the book ?

At one point, Abhi mentions about 'Nepal Parichaya' type of writing during Panchayat. Dr. Ratna Kamal Vaidya had a book on Nepal Parichaya. PCL level ma Nepal Parichaya ko jaanch diyeko samjhanaa aayo. Samsadiya byabastha aphap sidda bhayeko kura barnan garnuhos or something like that. I clearly remember giving a diplomatic answer suggesting that I do not agree with that and still passing the exam !!

Talking about Ratna Kamal Vaidya, he is one of those Rajparishad goons ? hailing sakriya rajtantra.

Talking about Panchayati goons, Marichman Singh Shrestha is being felicitated next week in Virginia by America Nepal Society. OK, not felicitation. But still could he not be ignored ? Or are there some really hopeful of being enlightened by Marich Man about how to resolve the conflict in Nepal ? I will be waiting to read that report in the Nepali Post.

Nepe Dai ani aru sajhaties haru ko gazal prati ko ruchi dekhera malai Jagjit Singh ko 2 wota all time fav. songs Upload garne ikchha jagera aayo.. Share garna mann lagyo..
If u wish then u can download it too..

Here is the link..

for "TUM ITNAA JO MUSKURA RAHE HO" Click here( http://rapidshare.de/files-en/259541/01_Tum_Itna_Jo_Muskura_1.m4a.html ) to download it.

for " HONTHON SE CHHULO TUM MERA GEET AMAR KARDO" click here ( http://rapidshare.de/files-en/259545/02_Honton_Se_Choolo.m4a.html ) to download it.

Cheers
Foe

malai ne tyo aadhi ko geet yaad ayo la........sanjeev kumar ra amrita sen ko cha ne

" tum aage ho to nur aagaya hai, nahi to chirag go se ko jaa rahi the, jeene ke tum he baja mil gayee ........birsiyo yaar" what a movie? what a great actor sanjeev kumar and they say it was based on story of indra gandhi.

FYI. If any poets around DC Metro area are interested.

==
> Date:Tue, 22 Mar 2005 09:11:10 EST
> Subject: [Dcpaw] Poetry in a Time of War, March 30, GMU: Askary, Berroa,
> Kramer, Miller, Tischy
>
>
>
> DC Poets Against War (dcpaw)
>
>
>
> DC Poets Against War (dcpaw)
> POETRY IN A TIME OF WAR
>
> Wednesday, March 30, 7:30 pm, at George Mason University's Johnson Center
> Cinema join us for POETRY IN A TIME OF WAR reading. When truth and language
> become casualties of war, we turn to poetry for restoration. Join us at the
> two year anniversary of war on Iraq.
>
> Readers include: Kakahama Askary, Rei Berroa, Christi Kramer, E. Ethelbert
> Miller, and Susan Tichy.
>
> Poets will share their own poems and poems from around the world. A question
> and answer session will follow the reading. The event is free and open to
> the public. Sponsored by the English Department and Creative Writing
> Program. For more information contact Melissa at mtuckey@gmu.edu.
>
> George Mason University is located at 4400 Braddock Road in Fairfax,
> Virginia. For maps and directions, go to:
> http://www.gmu.edu/welcome/Directions-to-GMU.html#495.
>
> READER BIOS
>
> Kakahama Askary, a Kurd of Northern Iraq, has devoted his life to work for
> Justice and Peace. Because of war and unrest, Kakahama grew up living in
> all parts of Iraq. He graduated from Al-Azhar University, where he was
> certified Imam, and obtained degrees in law, political science and
> international relations from Institute of Arab Researchers and Studies,
> Cairo, Egypt. He currently is a professor in the Department of Philosophy
> and Religion at James Madison University. Kakahama believes that life is
> beautiful.
>
> Rei Berroa teaches Spanish literature & literary criticism at Mason since
> 1984. Some of his books of poetry include : Book of Fragments [Calcutta,
> India 1993], Libro de los fragmentos [Buenos Aires, 1988], Los otros
> [Santo Domingo, 1981], and Retazos para un traje de tierra [Madrid, 1979].
> He is the Faculty Advisor to GMU’s Hispanic Culture Review, and the
> Literary Advisor to Arlington’s Teatro de la Luna, where he organizes
> annually a Poetry Marathon.
>
> Christi Kramer, born in Northern Idaho, is a graduate of George Mason
> University's Creative Writing program. Her manuscript "Reading al-Kursi" is
> an ethnography-in-poetry of Iraqi Kurds exiled and living as refugees in
> Harrisonburg, Virginia. Christi believes that the stories we tell are all
> we are: that in the telling, the listening and the retelling, where we are
> reminded of our own humanity and reasons for being, we may find a grace for
> healing and remembrance, which moves to peace.
>
> E. Ethelbert Miller is the chairman of the board for the Institute for
> Policy Studies (IPS). He is a core faculty member with the Bennington
> Writing Seminars at Bennington College. Since 1974, he has been the director
> of the African American Resource Center at Howard University. Mr. Miller's
> memoir, FATHERING WORDS:THE MAKING OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN WRITER was
> published by St.Martin's Press in 2000. In 2003,the book was selected by the
> D.C. Public Library for its, one book/one city program. Mr. Miller's most
> recent collection of poems is HOW WE SLEEP ON THE NIGHTS WE DON'T MAKE LOVE
> which was published by Curbstone Press in 2004.
>
> Susan Tichy's poems have been widely published in the US & Britain, and have
> been recognized by awards from the National Poetry Series and the National
> Endowment for the Arts. She is the author of _A Smell of Burning Starts the
> Day _ (Wesleyan University Press) and _The Hands in Exile_ (Random House).
> Her third book, Bone Pagoda, poems on Vietnam, is forthcoming from Ahsahta
> Press. An anti-war activist in the Vietnam era and the widow of a combat
> veteran, Tichy is known for both the sensuality and the political edge of
> her poems. She lives in Colorado and in Virginia, where she teaches in the
> Graduate Writing Program at George Mason University.
>