Short information about Laxmi Prasad Devkota

Laxmi Prasad Devkota (Nepali: लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटा; November 12, 1909 – September 14, 1959) was a Nepali poet, playwright, novelist. Devkota is regarded as the greatest poet of Nepal and Nepali language and is honored by the title of Maha Kavi ("The Greatest Poet") in Nepali literature. Some of his popular works are Muna Madan, Kunjini, and Sakuntal "Champa" .

Contents

• 1 Life
  • 1.1 Early life
  • 1.2 Health
  • 1.3 Later years and death
• 2 Work and Style
• 3 Politics
• 4 Publications
  • 4.1 Epics
  • 4.2 Poetry / Short Novels / Essays / Novel
• 5 References
• 6 External links
• 7 See also

Life

Early life

Devkota was born on the night of Lakshmi Pooja on 12 November 1909 (1966 Kartik 27 BS) to father Teel Madhav Devkota and mother Amar Rajyalakshmi Devi in Thatunati (now Dhobidhara), Kathmandu. He started his education at the Durbar High School in Kathmandu where he studied both in Sanskrit-grammar and English. After finishing his Matriculation exams from Patna at the age of 17, Devkota pursued the Bachelor of Arts along with the Bachelor of Laws in Tri Chandra College and graduated from Patna University as a Private Examine Only after a decade from his graduation as a lawyer did he finally started working in Nepal Bhasanuwad Parishad( Publication Censor board), where he met famous Playwright of Nepal Balkrishna Sama. At the same time, he worked as a lecturer in Tri Chandra College and Padma-Kanya College.

Health

In late 1930s Devkota suffered from Nervous Breakdowns, probably due to the death of his mother, father, and his two-month old daughter. Eventually in 1939, he was admitted in Mental Asylum of Rachi, India for five months.

Later years and death

Laxmi Prasad Devkota was a chain smoker throughout his life. After a long battle with cancer, Devkota died on September 14, 1959 at the Ghat of Bagmati River in Pashupatinath Temple Complex, Kathmandu.

Work and Style

Laxmi Prasad Devkota on a Nepalese stamp

Devkota contributed to Nepali literature by starting a modern Nepali language romantic movement in the country. He was the first to begin writing epic poems in Nepali literature. Nepali poetry soared to new heights with Devkota's innovative use of language. Departing from the Sanskrit tradition that dominated the Nepali literary scene at the time, he wrote Muna Madan (1930), a long narrative poem in popular "jyaure" folk tune. The work received immediate recognition from the Ranas: the country's rulers at the time. Muna Madan tells the story of Madan—a traveling merchant—who departs from his wife Muna to Tibet in a bid to earn some money. The poem describes the thematic hardships of the journey: the grief of separation, the itching longing, and the torment of death. The following couplet which is among the most famous and frequently quoted lines from the epic celebrates the triumph of humanity and compassion over the hierarchies created by caste in the Nepalese culture.

क्षेत्रीको छोरो यो पाउ छुन्छ, घिनले छुँदैन मानिस ठूलो दिलले हुन्छ जातले हुँदैन ।

A Kshatriya touches your feet not with hatred but with love. Great is a man with a great heart; not with great caste, creed, or by birth.

Considered his magnum opus "Muna-Madan" has remained widely popular among the lay readers of Nepali literature.
Laxmi Prasad, inspired by his five-month stay in mental asylum in 1939, wrote free-verse poem Pagal(The Lunatic).The poem deals with his usual mental ability and is considered one of the best nepali language poem.

जरुर साथी म पागल ! यस्तै छ मेरो हाल । म शब्दलाई देख्दछु ! दृश्यलाई सुन्दछु ! बासनालाई संबाद लिन्छु । आकाशभन्दा पातालका कुरालाई छुन्छु । ती कुरा, जसको अस्तित्व लोक मान्दैंन जसको आकार संसार जान्दैन !

Surely, my friend, insane I am Such is my plight. I visualize words but hear the visible. fragrance I taste and the ethereal is palpable to me. The things I touch-- the world denies their existence nor knows their shape

Devkota had the ability to compose long epics and poems with literary complexity and philosophical density in very short period of time. He wrote Shakuntala, his first epic poem and also the first "Mahakavya" (epic poem) written in the Nepali language, in a mere three months. Published in 1945, Shakuntala is a voluminous work in 24 cantos based on Kālidāsa's famous Sanskrit play Abhijñānaśākuntalam. Shakuntala demonstrates Devkota's mastery of Sanskrit meter and diction which he incorporated heavily while working primarily in Nepali.
Devkota also published several collections of short lyric poems set in various traditional and non-traditional forms and meters. Most of his poetry shows influence of English Romantic Poets like Wordsworth and Coleridge. The title poem in the collection "Bhikhari" ("Beggar") is a reminiscent of Wordsworth's "The Old Cumberland Beggar". In this poem, Devkota describes the beggar going about his ways in dire poverty and desolation deprived of human love and material comforts. On the other hand, the beggar is also seen as the source of compassion placed in the core of suffering and destitution. Devkota connects the beggar with the divine as the ultimate fount of kindness and empathy:

कालो बादलबाट खसेको अन्धकारमा भित्र बसेको, ईश्वर हो कि भिखरी? घर, घर, आँगन चारी बोल्दछ, आर्तध्वनिमा बोल्दछ करुणामृत दिल भारी ।

Fallen from the black clouds Living in the darkness Is he the god or a beggar? He wanders from house to house He speaks in tunes suffused with pain A heart weighed with compassion.

Many of his poems focus on mundane elements of the human and the natural world. The titles of his poems like "Ban वन" ("Woods"), "Kisaan किसान" ("The Peasant"), "Baadal बादल" ("Clouds") show that he sought his poetic inspiration in the commonplace and proximal aspects of the world. What resonates throughout most of his poetry is his profound faith in humanity. For instance, in the poem "Woods," the speaker goes through a series of interrogations rejecting all forms of comfort and solace that could be offered solely to him as an individual. Instead he embraces his responsibility and concern for his fellow beings. The poem ends with the following quatrain that highlights his humanistic inclinations:

दोस्त कहाँ छन्? साथ छ को को? घर हो तिम्रो कुन देश? जान्छौ कुन पुर भवन मुसाफिर, ल्यायौ कुन सन्देश? दोस्त मेरो शुभ उद्योगी, साथ छ साहस बेश । विश्व सबै घर, हृदय-पुरीतिर ल्याउछु सेवा सन्देश ।।

Where are your friends? Who go with you? Which land is your home? What place do you seek, Traveler? With what news do you roam?" "My friend is decent diligence. Courage comes with me. whole world's my home. To heart-land I roam with hues of Humanity"

Besides poetry, Devkota also made significant contributions to the essay genre. He is considered the father of the modern Nepali essay. He defied the conventional form of essays by blatantly breaking the rules of grammar and syntax, and embracing a more fluid and colloquial style. His essays are generally satirical in tone and are characterized by their trenchant humor and ruthless criticism of the modernizing influences from the West in the Nepali society. An essay titled भलादमी (Bhaladmi) or "Dignitary" criticizes a decadent trend in Nepali society to respect people based on their outward appearances and outfit rather than their actual inner worth and personality. In another essay titled के नेपाल सानो छ? (Ke Nepal Sano Cha?) "Is Nepal insignificant (small)?", he expresses deeply nationalistic sentiments inveighing against the colonial forces from British India which, he felt, were encroaching all aspects of Nepali culture. His essays are published in the collection Laxmi Nibhandha Sanghraha (लक्ष्मी निबन्धसङ्‌ग्रह).

Politics

Laxmi Prasad Devkota was not active in any well-established political party but his poetry consistently embodies an attitude of rebellion against the Rana dynasty.During his self exile in Varanasi he started working as editor of Yugvani newspaper for Nepali Congress party resulting in confiscation of all his property in Nepal by the Rana Government.After Introduction of democracy through Revolution of 1951 ,Devkota was appointed as a member of Nepal Shalakar Samiti in 1952 by King Tribhuvan.Later in 1957 he was appointed as Minister of Education and Autonomous Governance under premiership of Kunwar Inderjit Singh.

Publications

Epics

Epics of Laxmi Prasad Devkota

Title	Year of first publication	First edition publisher (Kathmandu, unless otherwise stated)	Notes	Ref.
Shakuntal (शाकुन्तल)	1945	Sajha	Epic
Sulochana (सुलोचना)			Epic
Bana Kusum (बनकुसुम)			Epic
Maharana Pratap (महाराणा प्रताप)			Epic
Prithvi Raj Chauhan (पृथ्वीराज चौहान)			Epic
Prometheus (प्रमीथस)			Epic

Poetry / Short Novels / Essays / Novel

Poetry / Short Novels / Essays of Laxmi Prasad Devkota

Title	Year of first publication	First edition publisher (Kathmandu, unless otherwise stated)	Notes	Ref.
Like Strength (बल जस्तो)			Poetry
Beggar - Poetry Collection (भिखारी - कवितासंग्रह)			Poetry
Gaine's Song (गाइने गीत)			Poetry
Butterfly - Children's Poetry Collection (पुतली - बालकवितासंग्रह )			Poetry
Golden Morning - Children's Poem (सुनको बिहान - बालकविता)			Poetry
Farmer - Musical Play (कृषिवाला - गीतिनाटक)			Verse Drama
Meeting of Dushyant and Shakantula (दुष्यन्त-शकुन्तला भेट)			Short Epic
Muna Madan (मुनामदन)			Short Epic
Duel between Raavan and Jatayu (रावण-जटायु युद्ध)			Short Epic
Kunjini (कुञ्जिनि)			Short Epic
Luni (लुनि)			Short Epic
Prince Prabhakar (राजकुमार प्रभाकर)			Short Epic
Kidnapping of Sita (सीता हरण)			Short Epic
Mahendu (म्हेन्दु)			Short Epic
Dhumraketu			Short Epic
Laxmi Nibandaha Sangraha - Laxmi Essay Collection (लक्ष्मी निबन्धसङ्‌ग्रह)			Essay
Champa (चम्पा)			Novel

References

1. Muna
2. Muna
3. Gorkhapatra

• Poems Of Laxmi Prasad Devkota In Nepali (From Laxmi Kavita Sangraha) Compiled By Sanjaal Corps
• Laxmi Prasad Devkota: Nepal's Greatest Poet