Nepali kabita gazal muktak haiku: Some Nepali Poems Of Naba Sapkota नव सापकोटाका कबिताहरु

Naba Sapkota is considered a name synonymous with prominence in Nepali literature, particularly in poetry. He is acknowledged for his contribution to Nepali poetry, and his works represent the consciousness of a new era. He expresses himself with freshness of perspective pertaining to cultural identity and social awareness. Naba Sapkota was born on 25 January 1948 in a village called Nepali Basti, then known as Bara village. His father was the late Leeladhar Sapkota, and his mother was the late Jasoda Sapkota. Whereas his birth name was Nandalal, he had to be named Narbahadur Sapkota while attending school, a name shortened into Naba Sapkota when he entered the literary world. This would later turn out to be the name synonymous with his works in literature.

He completed his schooling in the year 1966 and did his graduation in 1970. Later, he did his post-graduation in Nepali literature from Gauhati University via distance and open education. His service career spanned the public administrative sector where he rose to the position of Deputy Secretary in the government of Assam. Along with his civil service, he also spent some time as a teacher. Residing in Gauhati, Sapkota is considered a custodian of Nepali literature in the city. His residence has been a cultural and literary hangout for many visiting Nepali writers in Gauhati. The name of Naba Sapkota, besides that of Leel Bahadur Chhetri, is remembered and respected by every Nepali literary figure in the region.

Dual Personality of Naba Sapkota: Poet and Social Worker

Naba Sapkota is many talents rolled into one. Besides being known for his poetry, he is also known for his commitment to social causes. This literary and social icon is remarkable on both counts, therefore needing separate discussions.

As a poet, Sapkota's voice is sharp and impacting. His poetry is dripping with ethnic consciousness; his rhymes pulsate with the agonies and glories of the Nepali-speaking Gorkhas in India. He actively participated in the movement for the recognition of the Nepali language in Assam in the early 1970s. The same movement called for growing awareness and cultural pride. Sapkota was also one of the important initiators of Nepali Sahitya Parishad, which has now become a strong pillar in Nepali literature in Assam. He used to contribute to its formation, struggled to get registered by the government, and extended efforts in expanding its branches and organizing programs. Of these, at different times he held the following positions in the organization: founder secretary, vice-president, executive president, and adviser; he continues to support its activities to this day, directly and indirectly.

But Sapkota's services to his ethnicity are far from being limited to literature. He has always been a vocal advocate for the rights and dignity of the Gorkhas. Whether taking a stand to ensure that his village gets renamed Devkota Nagar after the legendary poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota or writing letters urging the government to include Nepali in the school curriculum in Assam, Sapkota has done immense service in the cause of the cultural and linguistic identity of Nepali-speaking Indians.

Poet of Collective Unconsciousness

His poetry is a representative of the collective psyche of Gorkhas in India rather than being confined to personal feelings. His voice forms a joint voice of millions of Gorkhas with a desire, struggle, and experiences. He gave expression to the joys and sorrows of his community through his poetry. In fact, his interest in renaming his village Devkota Nagar shows his commitment toward preserving and honoring the legacy of Nepali literature.

Though chiefly a poet, Sapkota has also written essays among other forms of literature. He is the leader of various ethnic, literary, and cultural organizations and is actively involved in social movements geared toward the advancement of Gorkha identity. His poems have a certain unique resonance in the Nepali literary landscape, offering readers a refreshing departure from the complex and inaccessible works of the Ayameli school of writing. Sapkota's poems are simple yet powerful; thus, they easily connected with readers at both an emotional and intellectual level. His work gained popularity at a time when Ayameli poetry, known to be obscure and inaccessible to common readers, had alienated many readers. Sapkota's accessible yet profound poetry brought a sense of clarity and relevance to Nepali literature.

This influence extends beyond Nepal, into India, where other influential poets like Agam Singh Giri, Haribhakta Katuwal, and Bhupi Sherchan have played their role in shaping the Nepali poetic landscape. Younger ones like Vikas Gotame, Prem Sherpa Biroki, and Bimal Lama, among others, have done their part to enhance the richness of Nepali poetry. In that way, these artists have opened Nepali poetry to new horizons, in which Naba Sapkota is outstanding for his editorial team.

Contribution to the Collage Movement

During the 1980s, one of his active contributions was to the Collage Movement, a popular literary movement led by poet Avinash Shrestha. The Collage Movement attempted to bring a new style of poetry to the fore, and during these times, Sapkota and other poets traveled to many different parts of Assam, such as Guwahati, Tezpur, and Nagaon, preaching poetry and awakening ethnic consciousness through their works. The Collage Movement, although it flourished for a time, gradually came to its end when Shrestha shifted to Kathmandu but not before its indelible mark was left on Nepali poetry.

With the decline of the Collage Movement, Sapkota moved on to even stronger articulations of ethnic awareness in his poetry. His works have gone on to evolve, with a strong commitment to his community and the struggles they have or continue to face. He has undertaken leading roles and mentoring of younger generations of poets through inspiration toward themes of social justice and ethnic pride.

Publications and Literary Works

So far, Naba Sapkota has published four major collections of poetry, each proving to be proof of his deep-seated ethnic and aesthetic consciousness. These include:

Eucalyptus: A Blessing for the Next Generation – 45 poems in this collection create an album of the soul of nature, identity, and the future of the Gorkha community.

Kavyantar: This is a collection of 52 poems that articulates both personal and collective experiences, using both the short and the long forms of poetry.

Madira Haina Mero Pasina (It's Not Alcohol, But My Sweat): An assemblage of 68 poems talks about the toil of labor and the dignity of hard work; it is a strong commentary on the human condition.

Manikut- This anthology contains about 50 poems, including free verse, songs, and ghazals. The themes vary from romanticism to rebellion, humanism, reformism, and transformational aspirations.

In these anthologies, Sapkota's ethnic and aesthetic awareness is fantastically highlighted. His poems often flash with ethnic pride, experiences of life, philosophical reflections upon the fate of humanity, and global consciousness. His writings are reflections of the moods-from romantic to rebellious, from philosophical to sheer deep commitment to one's ethnic identity. He writes for the Gorkhas of India, traditionally a stateless nation, mostly living in conditions of oppression, marginalization, and alienation. Sapkota gives vent to their suffering, hope, and aspirations--the collective experience of the Gorkhas depicted in his poetry.

Themes and Poetic Style

Sapkota's poetry goes from ethnic awareness and passing on to the beauty of nature, from the existence reflection to the philosophical thoughts. Quite often, his works combine personal and universal aspects in themselves, focusing on the place of an individual in a collective experience.

One of Sapkota's themes which keeps on coming back is the feeling of loss and alienation among Gorkhas in India. In fact, he feels so strongly that the Gorkhas have to write their histories down on paper so that their memories do not get erased out in due time. He says poignantly in appeal, "Write a history on paper of your ancestors." Feeling that the younger generation is being torn away from its ethnic selves, his poetry often acts as an appeal for remembrance and a call to preserve Gorkha identity.

His poetry has been equated with that of other leading Nepali poets: Agam Singh Giri for ethnic consciousness, Haribhakta Katuwal for historical awareness, and Bhupi Sherchan for satirical insight. But Sapkota's work stands on its own with a voice mellowed into a combination of rebellion, symbolism, love for nature, and contemplation on life's philosophical and existential dimensions.

Sapkota's poems also voice the ethnic struggles in Assam. He seeks harmony between national and ethnic identities, symbolized by his impulse for the confluence of Bagmati and Brahmaputra rivers. Thus, his poetry takes on a deep concern with the ethos of time, a look at civilization itself.

The Poet's Thoughts on Poetry

To Naba Sapkota, poetry is an integral part of life itself: "Poetry is the eternal facet of creation; an infinite art form. It is universal, omnipresent and with the passage of time, as the elixir of life keeps developing." He appears to believe that life and poetry are inseparable. "Life is poetry, poetry is life. Life without poetry is meaningless and mundane," he writes.

His ideas on poetry transcend the personal to touch upon the metaphysical. He views "Om" as the subtlest poetry, the sound representing the material and spiritual worlds. Sapkota's poetry is steeped in reality, but it aspires toward higher truths, trying quite often to grasp the eternal dimensions of life.

Legacy and Influence

Naba Sapkota's literary contributions have left an indelible mark on Nepali poetry. His works have stimulated endless poets, both in Nepal and inside the Nepali-talking diaspora. He stays a towering figure in Nepali literature, specially in India, wherein his poetry maintains to resonate with readers and writers alike.

The impact of Sapkota is not limited to his works. He has helped mold the future of Nepali literature through various literary organizations and by mentoring younger poets. His poetry truly reflects deep commitment to his ethnic identity, but at the same time, it reaches anyone as it speaks to the universal human experience.

In his very own words, Sapkota says, "A poet can by no means die." His poems will live on to encourage generations to come and stand as testimony to the electricity of the written word. The lifestyles and works of Naba Sapkota as a result remind us that poetry has the power to change individuals and societies, offering hope, wisdom, and a glimpse into the human circumstance.