Nepali kabita gazal muktak haiku

Famous poem of Goma गोमा को प्रख्यात कबिता

Goma Devi Upadhyaya, a name etched in the literary legacy of Nepal, wasn’t born into comfort. Her story begins in a quiet corner of the Parbat district, in a village called Ramja Mani Chaur, on the 15th of Jeth, 1982 B.S. (circa 1925 A.D.). The first child of Laxmikanta Upadhyaya and Nandakumari Upadhyaya, Goma entered the world like any other child—but her life was destined to be anything but ordinary.

A Childhood Without a Mother's Touch

Tragedy struck early. Just three months after she was born, Goma lost her mother. From that moment, life became a series of painful lessons. She was raised by her grandfather, a man in his 80s, who not only provided her shelter but also began shaping her mind. By a very young age, she had memorized texts like Ramayana, Mahabharata, Durga Kavach, and even began learning Amarakosha—a Sanskrit thesaurus—by the age of eight. Goma was sharp, focused, and incredibly gifted, but she was also emotionally starved. She never got to feel the warmth of her mother’s hug or taste her mother’s milk. That void shaped much of the poetry she would go on to write later in life.

Abuse, Neglect, and a Forced Marriage

As if losing her mother wasn’t enough, her early childhood was also marred by cruelty. Goma suffered under the hands of a stepmother who subjected her to daily abuse. She was passed between her grandfather and aunt just to protect her from the emotional and physical torment. But the pattern of suffering continued. At just 10 years old, she was married off—yes, a child bride.

Her husband, Kaloo Upadhyaya, already had three wives before her. In his household, Goma was not a partner but more like a servant. She was expected to handle all sorts of agricultural labor and domestic duties, while enduring emotional neglect and isolation. The conditions became so unbearable that she once stood on the edge of a cliff, seriously considering ending her life. But some inner voice—perhaps that tiny spark of hope—pulled her back.

Escape to Kathmandu

After that near-tragic moment, Goma pleaded with her grandmother, who was preparing to leave for Kathmandu. “Take me with you. I can’t live here. If I stay, I’ll hang myself,” she said with tears in her eyes. Her grandmother listened. That decision changed the trajectory of Goma’s life.

In Kathmandu, her grandmother worked in the royal palace kitchen, so the young Goma found a small degree of stability. Slowly, opportunities started to open. She met and befriended Gunakumari Sharma, and through her, came into contact with influential people like the poet Siddhicharan Shrestha. Siddhicharan not only tutored her but also admired her raw courage and resilience. He believed in her so deeply that he even wrote poems about her, calling her a soul shaped by pain yet filled with extraordinary beauty and strength.

Finding Her Voice Through Poetry

Goma’s journey into literature began through poetry. Her first poem, Jalan (“Burning Pain”), was published in 1994 B.S. (circa 1937 A.D.) in the literary magazine Sharada. It was more than just a poem—it was a scream from a woman who had seen too much too soon. The verses didn’t just reflect personal pain; they resonated with countless other women silenced by similar circumstances.

Here’s an excerpt from Jalan:

"When I was born in this world,
Sorrow shadowed me forever...
I am a demon, they say,
A cursed soul in a cursed world..."

The impact was immediate. The Sharada magazine opened the gates for Goma. Soon, her poems were being published in other platforms like Udyog, Sahitya-Srot, Ratsri, Gorkhapatra, Madhuri, Kavita, Madhupurak, and more. Even Radio Nepal featured her work. She moved from poetry to essays, stories, and eventually wrote over 15 books—each a reflection of her journey from darkness to self-empowerment.

Education Against All Odds

Despite the storms in her personal life, Goma didn’t give up on education. In 2017 B.S. (around 1960 A.D.), she appeared for her SLC (School Leaving Certificate) exam alongside her daughter Gargi. Her daughter passed in second division, and Goma in third. That exam was a turning point. It helped unlock many doors that had long been closed to her.

But what’s even more remarkable is that Goma had already started teaching before she sat for that exam. In 2004 B.S., she began working as a schoolteacher in Patan. At the time, she was raising her daughter alone. Balancing work and single motherhood was like fighting a daily battle. Her income barely covered their basic needs.

Later, thanks to support from her student Anar Shrestha—who was deeply moved by her resilience—Goma’s appeal for a government job was forwarded to King Tribhuvan. In 2010 B.S., she was appointed as a typist in the Ministry of Health. This job gave her financial stability and helped her educate her daughter further.

She retired voluntarily from that post in 2022 B.S., and once again returned to the classroom. She served at Rani Pokhari Sanskrit Pathshala, and later, Shukra Secondary School, until retiring in 2044 B.S.

Themes in Her Writing

Goma’s literary voice was shaped by three key themes: sorrow, longing, and devotion. As national poet Madhav Ghimire put it, her work flowed through three phases—youthful romantic pain, mature reflections on women’s suffering, and devotional writings in later years.

Her poems are simple, yet profound. They speak softly, but strike deep. Instead of loud protests, she opted for quiet resistance. Her words exposed the injustices faced by women—not in abstract, intellectual terms—but through lived experience. She didn’t write to impress; she wrote to survive.

Here’s what makes her style unique:

Emotional honesty: Her poems are raw. You can almost feel the tears on the pages.
Subtle activism: Without shouting slogans, she shed light on the exploitation and abuse of women.
Spiritual resilience: Even when everything was falling apart, Goma turned inward and found strength through devotion.

She blended pain and poetry like few others could. You won’t find grand vocabulary or complicated metaphors in her writing. What you’ll find is truth—naked and brave.

Personal Struggles and Triumphs

Goma’s life wasn’t just about survival—it was about transformation. She took every hurt, every humiliation, and turned it into art. Whether it was the sting of being a child bride, the ache of losing her mother, or the cruelty of domestic abuse, she poured it all into her writing.

Despite all the hardships, she raised her daughter, earned a respectable job, and carved a space for herself in a male-dominated literary world. That’s no small feat. She may have started as a helpless girl from a remote village, but she died a celebrated figure in Nepali literature.

Her pen was her weapon, her therapy, and her companion. Even when she was smiling, she was writing. Even when she was crying, she was writing.

Legacy and Passing

Goma passed away on the 14th of Shrawan, 2059 B.S. (around July 2002 A.D.), after a heart attack. But her words remain very much alive.

She received many awards and recognitions during her life, but her biggest contribution was giving voice to the voiceless. In a time when women were expected to stay silent, she dared to speak—and more importantly, she dared to write.

Her literary works have been included in academic curricula, and her poems continue to be studied by students across Nepal. Her legacy isn’t just in libraries and textbooks—it lives in the hearts of every reader who has felt seen, heard, or healed by her writing.

Final Thoughts

Goma Devi Upadhyaya’s life reads like a novel—tragic, powerful, inspiring. But unlike fiction, her story was real. She didn’t just live through history; she helped write it.

Her life teaches us that pain can be turned into poetry, that silence can be broken with a pen, and that even the most wounded soul can rise—not just to survive, but to shine.

From a motherless girl in Parbat to a shining star in Nepal’s literary sky, Goma’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Her story isn’t just about the past—it’s a reminder that with courage and creativity, even the most broken beginnings can lead to beautiful endings.

दिउँसो सुतेर उठ्दा

बिम्झें फेरि अनेक भूलहरुको आगार यो देहमा
आयो चेतनता अहो जलि जली बस्नू छ मैले यहाँ
मीठो नींद उडेर वास्तविकता कालो कडा रङ् चढ्यो
ऐय्‌या यो मुटुभित्र तीक्ष्ण सुइ ली चिन्तापरीले डस्यो।

के हो जीवन ? फेरि तुल्बुल यहाँ फोकासरी भो किन ?
के हूँ? जान्छ कहाँ ? कसो पछि हुने ? वेदान्त क्यै जान्दिन ।
खाली जान्दछु उठ्छ पीर मनमा सोला कुनै भित्र छ
कुन्नी कुन दिनको कठोर बिपना आई ममा घुर्दछ ।

हाँसो क्षण्‌भरको म बेच्छु दिनहूँ कयौं यहाँ गाहक
बिक्छन् खूब प्रशस्त किन्तु किन हो हाँसो ममा शून्य छ
मेरो जीवनको विचित्र गति भो अज्ञान संगी बनी
थाहा केहि भए बताउ कविजी, कस्तो म हूँ कामिनी ?

त्याँ रुख्‌मा बसि चील त्यो कुन कुरा सम्झी रहेको भन
त्यस्‌को जीवनमा पनी छ कि कहीं मेरै सरीको मन ?
मैदान् विस्तृत व्योमको छ उडने त्यस्‌का पखेटाहरू
यस्तो भैकन ढुक्छ फेरि किन त्यो बूढो मसाने तरु ?