Literature of Nepal

{{short description|none}}  {{about|the literature of Nepal|literature specific to the Nepali language|Nepali literature}} {{More citations needed|date=September 2014}} '''Nepali literature''' ({{langx|ne|नेपाली साहित्य}}) is the literature of Nepal. This is distinct from Nepali literature, which is the literature in only Nepali language (Khas kura). The major literary languages of Nepal are:

==English literature== Nepalis writing in English first came to prominence with Laxmi Prasad Devkota's own translations of his Nepali poems in the 1950s.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Canonising literature|url=https://kathmandupost.com/opinion/2015/01/04/canonising-literature|access-date=2021-09-14|website=kathmandupost.com|language=English}}</ref> Devkota is believed to be the first Nepali to begin writing creatively in English.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pun|first=Min|title=The canons of Nepali writing in English|url=https://doi.org/10.3126/tuj.v31i1-2.25332|journal=Tribhuvan University Journal|year=2017 |volume=31|issue=1–2 |pages=63–74|doi=10.3126/tuj.v31i1-2.25332 |via=Nepljol|doi-access=free}}</ref> Devkota also penned some essays in English which were published posthumously by his son, Dr. Padma Devkota, in a book titled 'The Witch Doctor and Other Essays'.<ref>{{Cite web|last=@therecord|title=A voice from the past speaking to the present - The Record|url=https://www.recordnepal.com/a-voice-from-the-past-speaking-to-the-present|access-date=2021-11-04|website=www.recordnepal.com|language=English}}</ref> After Devkota came writers like Mani Dixit, Tek Bahadur Karki, Abhi Subedi and Peter J Karthak who began writing in English from the 60s onwards. During the 70s and 80s, these pioneers were joined by writers like Kesar Lall, Greta Rana, Kesang Tseten, and DB Gurung. It was only in 2001 that Nepali writing in English received international attention with the publication of Samrat Upadhyay's ''Arresting God in Kathmandu''. Published in the United States, the collection of short stories won the Whiting Award for Fiction.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-07-25|title=Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation|url=http://www.whitingfoundation.org/search/writers/samrat_upadhyay|access-date=2021-09-14|website=archive.md|archive-date=30 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530035614/http://www.whitingfoundation.org/search/writers/samrat_upadhyay|url-status=live}}</ref> Since then, a number of prominent Nepali writers writing in English have emerged, most notably Manjushree Thapa whose non-fiction book, ''Forget Kathmandu: An Elegy for Democracy'', was nominated for the 2006 Lettre Ulysses Award.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lettre Ulysses Award {{!}} Manjushree Thapa, Nepal|url=https://www.lettre-ulysses-award.org/authors06/thapa.html|access-date=2021-09-14|website=www.lettre-ulysses-award.org}}</ref>

Contemporary Nepalis writing in English include

* Niranjan Kunwar (''Between Queens and the Cities'') * Pranaya SJB Rana (''City of Dreams)'' * Prawin Adhikari (''The Vanishing Act'')<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-05-10 |title=The art of translating Indra Bahadur Rai |url=https://www.himalmag.com/the-art-of-translating-indra-bahadur-rai-interview-with-novelist-prawin-adhikari/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Himal Southasian |language=en-GB}}</ref> * Rabi Thapa (''Nothing to Declare, Thamel: Dark Star of Kathmandu'')<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rediscovering Thamel – 'Dark Star of Kathmandu'|url=https://thewire.in/books/thamel-kathmandu-rabi-thapa|access-date=2021-11-04|website=The Wire}}</ref> * Richa Bhattarai (''Fifteen and Three Quarters'')<ref>{{Cite web|last=@therecord|title=Richa Bhattarai: 'A day that I do not write is a day wasted' - The Record|url=https://www.recordnepal.com/richa-bhattarai-a-day-that-i-do-not-write-is-a-day-wasted|access-date=2021-11-04|website=www.recordnepal.com|language=English}}</ref> * Rishi Amatya (''Radha: Wrath of the Maeju)''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sakya |first=Trishagni |date=2023-12-09 |title=Patan heritage in fantasy fiction |url=https://nepalitimes.com/review/patan-heritage-in-fantasy-fiction |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=nepalitimes.com}}</ref> * Shiwani Neupane (''Monica - Pieces of Perfect, Crossing Shadows'') * Shradha Ghale (''The Wayward Daughter'')<ref>{{Cite web |title=Review: From Nepal, of Nepal |url=https://thewire.in/books/review-shradha-ghale-the-wayward-daughter-nepal |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=The Wire}}</ref> * Smriti Ravindra (''The Woman Who Climbed Trees)''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharma |first=Saloni |date=2023-06-11 |title=‘The Woman who Climbed Trees’ deftly carves out space for women’s emotional and physical subversions |url=https://scroll.in/article/1050615/the-woman-who-climbed-trees-deftly-carves-out-space-for-womens-emotional-and-physical-subversions |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Maithili literature== {{main|Maithili literature}} {{Empty section|date=April 2014}}

==Nepali literature== {{main|Nepali literature}} Nepali literature consists of the literature written in the Nepali language. The Nepali language has been the national language of Nepal since 1958. The Nepali language has also been recognized as a "major Indian literary language" by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters.<ref name = "hutt">''Himalayan Voices: An Introduction to Modern Nepali Literature'' (Voices from Asia), edited and translated by Michael J. Hutt, University of California Press, 1991. p. 5. {{ISBN|9780520910263}}</ref>

== Nepal Bhasa literature== {{main|Nepal Bhasa literature}} The literature written in Nepal Bhasa is called Nepal Bhasa literature.

==Sanskrit== Modern Sanskrit literature in Nepal includes works by Nara Nath Acharya, Vishnu Raj Atreya, and Shivraj Acharya Kaundinya among others.

==Further reading== * Nepali Sahityako Sankchhipta Itihas, Dr. Dayaram Shrestha & Mohanraj Sharma, Sajha Prakashan * Nepali Upanyas Ra Upanyaskar, Krishna Singh Pradhan, Sajha prakashan * Pandhra Tara Ra Nepali Sahitya, Krishna Prasad Parajuli, Sajha Prakashan

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nepalese Literature}} Category:Nepalese literature Literature