Devkota's Love for Nepali Language

This is a true story. At a time, when most people in Nepal, particularly the people from the South of Nepal, are interested in making the Indian language, as the national language of Nepal, I love to share this story. I also find it disgraceful that at a time, when even groups in India are opposing Indian language and vilifying it for it's curcial role in sidelining their own ethnic languages, some people in Nepal want to establish Hindi or the Indian language as a language of the nation of Nepal. Whatever, let's unfold this story.

This event took place in 2012 BS. Some writers of Nepal, under the leadership of Mahakabi, or The Great Poet, Laxmi Prasad Devkota, went to Pashupatinath Temple. Since it was a day of festivity, they had gone to Pashupatinath Temple with a belief that many prominent people and people with an interest in Nepali literature would be there. They had gone there with an aim to make interested people the subscribers of the then popular literature magazine, Pragati.

So, these people started their mission staying at the main gate of Pashupatinath. Some instantly paid for the membership and subscribed to the magazine, whereas, some promised to pay the money later, but assured they would do so shortly. No one there disagreed to the request of Devkota. At that time, a renowned person and scholar was coming out of the gate.

This man had already become a Senior Officer during Chandra Shumsher's rule, and he had also worked in prominent positions after the establishment of democracy in 2007 BS. He worked in the American Admission during that time. He had written a book on Nepali grammar as well. On seeing such a man, Devkota went to him and asked him to take the membership.

"What's the magazine?", the man asked.

"Oh, it's a literature magazine called Pragati", replied Devkota.

"Which language is it published in?", asked the guy again.

"Nepali", replied Devkota.

"Nepali won't live, Hindi will rule", came the reply.

This reply tensed the environment there. Devkota, one of the biggest lovers and promoters of the Nepali language, was shocked and angered by such a reply. The other man was saying so supporting Matrika Koirala's plan of making the Indian language the national language of Nepal. Devkota started scolding that guy. He even went as far as to take a baton from a policeman, who came there to quell the dispute, and tried to hit that guy. But his colleagues and the policeman stopped him from doing that.

The man, who made such replies supporting Hindi and debasing Nepali, was Bishwamadi Acharya Dixit.

Later Devkota wrote a poem, "Bhutlai Jhataro" which was aimed at that guy. This poem is one of Devkota's most popular poems.

We should definitely have at least a love for our language like Devkota did, even though we might not fight against people, who belittle our language.

In passing, I am posting the poem Pagal by Devkota.

जरुर साथी म पागल !
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल ।
म शब्दलाई देख्दछु !
दृश्यलाई सुन्दछु !
बासनालाई संबाद लिन्छु ।
आकाशभन्दा पतला कुरालाई छुन्छु ।
ती कुरा,
जसको अस्तित्व लोक मान्दैंन
जसको आकार संसार जान्दैन !
म देख्दछु, ढुङ्गालाई फूल !
जब, जलकिनारका जल चिप्ला ती,
कोमलाकार, पाषाण,
चाँदनीमा,
स्वर्गकी जादूगर्नी मतिर हाँस्दा,
पत्रिएर, नर्मिएर, झल्किएर,
बल्किएर, उठ्दछन् मूक पागलझैँ,
फूलझैँ- एक किसिमका चकोर फूल !
म बोल्दछु तिनसँग, जस्तो बोल्दछन् ती मसँग
एक भाषा, साथी !
जो लेखिन्न, छापिन्न, बोलिन्न,
बुझाइन्न, सुनाइन्न ।
जुनेली गङ्गा-किनार छाल आउँछ तिनको भाषा
साथी ! छाल छाल !
जरुर साथी म पागल !
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल !
तिमी चतुर छौ, वाचाल !
तिम्रो शुद्ध गणित सूत्र हरहमेशा चलिरहेको छ
मेरो गणितमा एकबाट एक झिके
एकै बाँकी रहन्छ !
तिमी पाँच इन्द्रियले काम गर्छौ,
म छैटौँले !
तिम्रो गिदी छ साथी !
मेरो मुटु ।
तिमी गुलाफलाई गुलाफ सिवाय देख्न सक्तैनौ,
म उसमा हेलेन र पद्मिनी पाउँछु,
तिमी बलिया गद्य छौ !
म तरल पद्य छु !
तिमी जम्दछौ जब म पग्लन्छु,
तिमी सँग्लन्छौ जब म धमिलो बन्छु,
र ठीक त्यसैका उल्टो !
तिम्रो संसार ठोस छ ।
मेरो बाफ !
तिम्रो बाक्लो, मेरो पातलो !
तिमी ढुङ्गालाई वस्तु ठान्दछौ,
ठोस कठोरता तिम्रो यथार्थ छ ।
म सपनालाई समात्न खोज्दछु,
जस्तो तिमी, त्यो चिसो, मीठो अक्षर काटेको
पान्ढीकीको बाटुलो सत्यलाई !
मेरो छ वेग काँडाको साथी !
तिम्रो सुनको र हीराको !
तिमी पहाडलाई लाटा भन्दछौ,
म भन्छु वाचाल ।
जरुर साथी ।
मेरो एक नशा ढिलो छ ।
यस्तै छ मेरो हाल !