Volume VIII:: August, 2002

 

"Parijat": Sirish Ko Phool
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Bishnu kumari Waiba better known as Parijat was a renowned female novelist, poetess and storywriter in Nepali literature. She was born in 1937 at ‘Lingia Tea State’, Darjeeling.

She is best known as existentialist and progressive writer in Nepali literature. She faced series of harsh crisis in her life. Those abnormal crises had created deep frustration and depravation within her. That badly distorted all her inherent ability to experience beauty in life and nature. Her indomitable will to survive and her reverence for life has been overpowered and overshadowed by a kind of death wish. She wanted to escape from fear of death and absurdity of life. But paradoxically, she did that by adopting a philosophy that provided a basis for accepting meaninglessness in personal and social milieu. She started philosophizing that life is absurd; love is meaningless or rather meaninglessness is love. It was her ability to write and self expression that over powered the over encompassing frustration and death urge in her personal life.

She had published three collections of poems, four collections of short stories, ten novels, three memoirs and one essay collection in a book form. Her famous existentialist novel “Shirish ko Phool” own highly regarded Nepalese Literary Award “Madan Purakar”. To name few of her publication, “Adim Desh”, “Anido Pahad Sangai”, "Addhyan”, “Shangarsha”, "Parkhal Bhitra Parkhal Bahira",”Boni” etc.

She belonged to an oppressed gender and ethnic group, her consciousness and material poverty brought her to the camp of oppressed class. In her interaction with the people she discovered that individual pains do not go by itself, but when seen in the larger context of the suffering of the people they hurt less and they can be lessened even more by sharing pain and happiness with others, by supporting one another. That urged her to involve in many social forums. She was one of the founding members of Human Rights Organization of Nepal. She led the protest of writers against the bureaucracy of Royal Nepal Academy. The wretched condition of prisoners was her special concern. She continued to raise voice for women's liberation and dignity of oppressed minorities. She is best known her relentless efforts and struggle against the oppression and discrimination of women. She helped revive the "Progressive Writer's Association" in 1980's. She also headed a literary forum called “Bedana”.

She had been suffered with paralysis and had been nursed by her relatives. Parijat passed away in April 20, 1993. In her memory, Parijat Memorial Center was established and Parijat sangharshishil Purskar was recognized. The center has published “Parijat Smriti Granth” that compiled memoirs, reflections, critiques and evaluation of her life and work.



Resham Thapa
Omaha, Nebraska, USA

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