MY FAVOURITE WRITER-NAYAN RAJ PANDEY

‘Loo’ is the first book that I read of Nayan Raj Pandey. The subject is fantastic.  The novel describes the life sketch of people of the Terai. It shows the issues of their poverty, discrimination and tortures they face. Set in Pattharpurawa village of Nepalgunj, the novel has its characters narrate their stories by themselves. The book published in 2012 tells the story of the miserable conditions of the people living in the Terai along the Nepal-India border.  The area is not safe as people from the other side of the border can come here anytime and loot the properties, take cattle away and also rapes the women and girls living here. The story really touched my heart. Moreover, the language used in the book is natural and typical.

After reading this book, I read "Ghamkiri."  The book describes the journey of the 80s. The novel describes Bollywood movies especially about Padmini Kolhapuri. The writer falls in love with her and meets her and what happens after that?

The whole journey of following a star crush unfolds so many wonderful stories of love and politics. The novel looks like a diary and describes unsuccessful love. When I read the novel, I was lost in the novel. It made me feel that the story is true. It’s because of the concept and language.

Sallipir is another novel that read of Narayan Raj Pandey. Sallipir is a nice novel. Nicely written, poetic language, an excellent story, provides a glimpse of Himali lifestyle which is not generally portrayed in popular literature (just like Loo). it is an inspirational journey of a mother who wishes to gift 'words' to her son - intermingled with pain and driven by destiny (perhaps, or societal dogmas, we should say), the hardships ensue, and it never lets the character's spin-off that vicious circle.

The writing style is beautiful, no doubt. Poetic, yeah totally. Reflective, sure. At times the beautiful style keeps going on like a poem - that it simply doesn't rhyme with the context. Excessive reflective writing made the reading mundane for me. Too mundane the very style became at times that I felt like skimming the text. I'd say it has excessive and mismatched wordplay - feels like a wordplay just for sake of wordplay. At times it feels that the typical Sherpa words are shoved up in the text, albeit without the Sherpa rhetoric. The terms could be technically correct, precisely named but they just don't go with the flow. Feels like someone else is speaking, not Pema, not Dawa, definitely not Phurba. I would have loved to hear that story in Pema's language, Dawa's feel and Phurba's style. When I'm with Pema, I want to be with Pema (and not juggle between some visitor poet and Pema at the same time).

It is a touching story. Himal, Sherpa, and unsung heroes in an otherwise untold story. But can a story alone elevate writing to the next level? Can a plot transform the novel to the next level? I don't think so. I think how a documentary explains a story should be (must be) totally different than a storyteller. Storyteller, in a novel, are the characters themselves, not an external researcher.

The plot is simple but depicting Himalayan life this minutely, Pandey's have done it brilliantly. Actually, NayanRaj Pandey investigated a lot, his flow of words, his style everything is praiseworthy. I have read him before, and he never disappoints.

In short, if you want something new then grab it and all I want to say is 'Welcome to the Himalayan adventure' and just feel it.

I haven’t read his books Ullar, Chocolate, and Yaar but those novels made me a fan of his especially after reading Loo, I loved his writing skills. His imaginative skill is next to the new level. He brings new ideas with such a beautiful language that holds to the end. His characters are in the details. Like I said earlier that he never disappoints with the concept and language. Whenever I read his novels, I get lost and I feel like watching movies. He is such an amazing writer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nayan Raj Pandey is a Nepali writer. He writes stories and novels, as well as screenplays for Nepali cinema. He is known for his representation of contemporary Nepalese society in his novels, presented in a figurative style.

Ulaar, Loo, Ghamkiri, and Sallipir are Pandey's most best-liked novels, and Nidayen Jagadamba, Khor Vitra ko Joker, and Chocolate are short story collections that have been praised by readers. He recently published the book Yaar, which won the Padmashree Sahitya Puraskar.