Baulahiko Yatra: Readers’ Review

Shiva Pradhan’s recent Baulahiko Yatra is a compilation of fiction work that tells the readers about contemporary Nepali narratives. It focuses on the current affairs of Nepali lives and society which witnessed a tribulation with an economic prosperity and increased consumerism, fuelling changes. In the 1990s, the changes brought Pradhan himself to Hong Kong to explore the outside world.

Despite moving abroad, he dedicated himself to the Nepali literature which continues to this day. Baulahiko Yatra, which reminisces the readers about the Nepali soils and cultures as if the readers were back home, is evidenced to this.

Pradhan’s art of story presentation is manifested in his characterisation and well-paced story plots. He applies direct sentences to portray characters. He employs popularly and locally spoken dialects such as ‘why and how on earth one bothers to watch a movie even when he or she has no single penny p.1? and your name is? p.25.’ He takes the readers’ thoughts to several different parts of homeland as well as Hong Kong p.1, p.70; p.26. He recounts about his fantasy world which reminds the readers more of memoires than of short stories. To list out a few: ‘my name is Shiva Pradhan p.25; we happened to meet in 2035 p.27, and kaka p.20.’

By employing such terminologies as Dai p.29 and Bhanja p.62, he constructs his narratives to make dialogues more local and compelling. In addition, he employs various hierarchy titles (Saino) including Dai p.90 to address his characters. The construction of such dialogues reflects the true Nepali daily conversations, which demonstrate his true love for homeland and strong attachment to his own culture.

Pradhan has clear story ideas on his theme and employs smooth transitions. He engages his readers through vivid descriptions, providing realistic dialogues and well-placed plots. He intertwines his literary works created abroad and in foreign soils and reveals how unselfishness can turn a soul into philanthropy. Baulahiko Yatra truly takes readers back homeland. The collection of 11 stories is worth reading and highly recommending.

By Naresh Khaling

(The author can be reached at [email protected])