“The curse of art and literature practitioners might befall the people in power!” I was, today, awestruck by this painful expression from Prof. Dr. Govinda Raj Bhattarai, a dedicated practitioner of Nepali literature, reflecting the anguish of his heart on seeing writers and artists sidelined everywhere. Seated on the surface of his expression with a drooping head, I pondered over the depth of this painful realization, seemingly written in blood squeezing out of his bruised heart and expressed with explosion. I gazed at the sky-scrapping height of his thoughts and hoisted the flag of my consciousness on the highest point where my third eye could demarcate its ken. I was hardly aware when my eyes undid the embankments of my heart and flowed with an explosion. Nor was I aware when the flood emerging from my eyes flowed up the hill, towards my brain, to leave me fully overwhelmed. It struck the strings on the sarangi of my heart for the music of harmony until the strings were out of tune. Completely dazed, I didn’t know when I changed into votive offerings and, with due reverence, fell onto the feet of my guru, an epitome of dedication. Thereafter, I just continued to flow…

In fact, the domain of artistic and literary culture is the only domain where the humankind can stand eye-to-eye and make a rightful claim of its existence with Nature, the most refined planner of Creation. Iterating in the words of Dr. Bimal Koirala, Patron of our organization, art, literature and culture are the soft powers that give healthy and decent dynamism to structures like society, nation and the world. They are not, however, ornaments used when needed and left behind in the showcase when not. To disbelieve or disvalue this soft power, invisible to our external, is like sidelining the invisible power of our consciousness at the cost of the visible body. By that token, the practitioner of art and literature are the souls of the country they belong to. A nation without a soul is like nothing but a dead body.

Emerging like the tusks of an elephant, several academies are growing in number and many of them have reached as far as municipality wards. But there is no corresponding growth in academic activities and the wisdom thereof. They have merely become recruitment centers for their henchmen. What happens to an institution when it becomes a recruitment center can best be realized by looking at the condition of Tribhuvan University.

To quote Dr. Bhattarai again, there is no one to appreciate writers and artists who dedicate their lives to the society and the nation selflessly in spite of the slight they endure. None will come forward unless they rise from despotic and militant mentality and selfishness, unless their henchmen get demobilized, and unless these weeds completely disappear from the realm of creation. It is true that it is the government in power that should guarantee the safety of writers and artists. The people in power may have their principles and philosophies, but the government is not the private property of any political party; instead, it is a property of the people. Nevertheless, this appears to be an impossible thing here, and that is what inspires us to fear if this country will be doomed to the curses of writers and artists.

It is again art and literature, blessed with the honor of divinity, which should expose such dark realities prevalent in our society. Nepali Kalasahitya Dot Com Pratisthan, dedicated to the honor and development of art and literature, the torchbearer of truth, has come back with the 15th issue of its print magazine Kalashree and newer issues of its web publications www.nepalikalasahitya.com / www.nepaliartnliterature.com where selected works from earlier and present collections have been compiled and published.

Though we cannot trap the fragrance of life in its own terms, we salute the word that enables us to archive the colors of life. Salute to those writers and artists who launch the firework of words in the dark, having bright possibilities as their witnesses. Kalashree, along with its web associates www.nepalikalasahitya.com / www.nepaliartnliterature.com, has become a timeless witnesses of such bright possibilities. We believe it will continue to become eternal monument of faith and belief. The invaluable support lent by NLG to Nepali Kalasahitya Dot Com Pratishthan in its mission to hone its landmark projections, shall always be remembered in the world of creation.

Nepali Kalasahitya Dot Com Foundation expresses its thankfulness to all the magnanimous hearts, writers and artists, whose co-operation for the invention of a harmonious tune of life through creative works is beyond estimation. On top of that, we thankfully acknowledge the contributions of influential writers Mahesh Paudyal and Suman Pokharel, who have been shouldering the challenging task of translation with utmost ease and readiness.

Always in favor of writers, artists and their dedication for simple and beautiful life!

- Momila