Languages and Literature of Nepal

Nepali Language

The Nepali language historically belonged to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. The eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution includes the Nepali language as one of the 22 official languages of India. People who live in India's northeastern regions continue to speak the language of Nepal. Similar to Sikkim in India, which is a region where the Nepali language has a strong influence on the locals, the Darjeeling district in West Bengal has made the Nepali language its official tongue.Additionally, it is widely spoken in the states of Assam and Uttaranchal. The Nepali language, which comprises a rich cultural heritage, is also known as Nepalese Gorkhali and Gurkhali, the "language of Nepali Gorkhas."

According to legend, the people of Khas came to the lower valleys of the Gandaki basin in the east about 500 years ago because it was one of the best locations for the growing of rice. One of the Khas' extended families resided in Gorkha, a town halfway between Pokhara and Kathmandu. Under the authority of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, the army of Gurungs, Magars, and other hill tribesmen developed strong bonds and relationships. They engaged in combat with a large number of little states in the Himalayas. For military and political purposes, the Gorkha took the place of the Khas' residence and made it their headquarters. The language of the Gorkhas, Khaskura, was renamed Gorkhali. Gorkha's language, Gorkhali, became known as Nepali once Nepal became a political power.

Darjeeling scholar intellectual said that. The Gurung, Magar, Rai, Limbu, Newar, and Tamang can all speak Nepali, despite having different mother tongues. Nor is it a language that can only be spoken by members of certain castes and creeds, such as the Brahmin and Chhetri castes. A sizable Nepali caste has emerged as a result. Nothing in the world requires one to forget another person's language. Others will not permit them to do such things if some cast fights the idea that they do not want to have the Nepali language. The Khas voice was incorporated into the Khas language, which later evolved into the Gorkha and Gorkhali languages and is today spoken by all Nepalese people. The Assam, Manipur, Darjeeling, and other regions of India as well as the people of Nepal all accept the Nepali language. By treating it as the official language, the Indian government helped Nepali gain prominence on a global scale.

Nepali Literature

The literature of Nepal that is written in the national tongue is referred to as Nepali literature. Since 1958 A.D., Nepal's official language has been Nepali. The Nepali language was derived from Sanskrit, and it is difficult to pinpoint the beginning of Nepali literature because scholars have long since produced works of Nepali literature in Sanskrit. Sanskrit and Nepali were both used for writing by Nepalese people before to the Gorkha takeover of Nepal in 1768. Various religious books, histories, gift-deeds, and other works are among them. Only in the 19th century did Nepali language literary writing begin.

Around 1830, a school of Nepali poets emerged, greatly influenced by classical Sanskrit themes and poetic meters, and including themes from the Hindu epics Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana more frequently in Sanskrit than in Nepali. This book is popular due to the flavor of its language, its sincerity in regards to religion, and its realistic representations of the natural world. Bhanubhakta developed this book and made it into a Nepali version. Lekhnath Paudyal, a poet from the twenty-first century, used popular song rhythms into several of his poetry. Balkrishna's assistance and labor in Nepal throughout the 1920s and 1930s led to the emergence of contemporary literature. Sama formerly produced poetry, short stories, and poet roles based on Sanskrit and English models. In addition to discussing themes of love and patriotism in their poetry, 20th-century Nepali poets also addressed issues of injustice, dictatorship, and poverty. Sama, who was the leading exponent of modern Nepali drama, was influenced by Western playwrights in terms of societal issues. The literature of Nepal spans a number of eras, including

• Pre-Bhanubhakta Era
  • Most people are aware that Nepali literature evolved over the course of hundreds of years through oral folklore, but the Bhanubhakta is the first known example of a written literary work. Prior to this time, Sanskrit served as the basis for writing, and since high-caste Brahmins were the only ones who could access it, no ordinary people were involved in the literature. According to a few academics, Suwananda Das, a poet, was the first literary personality in Modern Nepal.
• Bhanubhakta Era
  • As the first poet in the Nepali language, Bhanubhakta is revered. The holy Ramayana book he translated into Nepali is his most significant contribution to Nepali literature. By employing the same format that Sanskrit scholars did, the Ramayana was written in metric style. In addition to translating the Ramayana, he also composed original poetry on a variety of topics, including the promotion of family values and various satires of the bureaucracy and the treatment of prisoners in Nepal at the time.
• 1960-1991
  • Despite the lack of freedom of speech, this age produced a lot of innovative writing. The independent journal was the sole publication printing Nepali literature at the time. The most important time for the growth of Nepali literature occurred during this century. The stories of human lives are told in plays like Laxmi Prasad Devkota's well-known Muna Madan: It is a tale about a guy who abandons his wife, mother, and house to work overseas in order to make money; when he returned home, he found that both his wife and mother had passed away. The story also depicts the life of the wife, who must endure severe suffering without her spouse. The human psychology is developed in Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala's stories, for instance through works like "Teen Ghumti," "Doshi Chasma," and "Narendra Dai."
• Post-Revolution Era
  • As Nepali speakers have been migrating around the world and numerous books of Nepali literature are being published from various parts of the world, the majority of contemporary Nepali authors have been actively writing ground-breaking, new Nepali literature since the establishment of the Democracy Revolution in 1991 A.D. Through creative thinking and the emergence of new literary subgenres, the literature is being developed in novel ways.

References

Flippo, Edwin B. Personnel Management. London: Oxford Press, 1980.

Gynwal, Ram Prasad. Know Nepal. Kathmandu: Bhundipuran Prakashan, 2012.

Hamilton, Francis B. An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal. New Delhi: Manjushri Publishing House, 1971.

Heywood, Andrew. Politics. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.

member.wnso.org/nepaliliterature/itihas1.htm

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