Devkota Jayanti being celebrated at Tandoor Restaurent at Queens Blvd, NY yesterday.

Honorable guests included political leaders. Not really. They were not in the list of formally invited guests. So they had to pay $20 to enter, like I myself had to.

Practically, the entire program was poetry recital- for the poetry competition and not for the competition.

Sailesh shrestha (middle), the master of ceremony, conducted the program very well. May be I am biased to a fellow republican with whom I had chanted anti-king slogans not long ago in front of the UN !

Mrs. Gita Khatri, vice-president of INLS NY Chapter. By the way, NY Chapter is all women committee. I was complaining to her calling it a reverse discrimination to men. She would only smile.

Ananta Risal, my neighbor in NJ, reciting his poem "बाँकी छ". We had traveled to NY together.

The lady in the middle bagged the 2nd best prize. I told her that hers was the sweetest poem. She has an incredibly sweet voice and she presented a chhanda-badda kavita. Imagine that.

A poetess presenting my favorite genre, ghazal. My best sher from her ghazal was something like,

बजारको महंगी देखे पछि . . . .
मैले सस्तोमा बेचेको घरको भाउ याद आयो

She happens to be from Butwal and a deciple of Bund Rana himself.

Gagan Birahi, so so.

Prof. Harihar Bhattarai, wasn't bad.

Govinda Giri 'Prerana', my drink partner at the end of the program. No, I did not drink too much. Just a peg upon insistence of genuine sharabis, Mohan Sitoula and Ramesh Khakurel.

I don't remember the name of this poet. However, I think his was the best poem among the contenders. Unfortunately, the jury had a different opinion. He did not get any award, or was it third prize ? I am confused. In any case, if anybody knows him, please let him know that his was my most favorite poem.

Prof. Mohan Sitoula, with a few short poems. He also took chance to remind that Devkota's epic "Promethus" (?) is something everybody fighting for Loktantra now should read and re-read.

Mridula Koirala. Her surprisingly anti-Girija Koirala position (during a private conversation) impressed me more than anything else.

Jhalanath Khanal with his poem. Wasn't bad. He sure has a poetic talent. However, did he have a poetic honesty as well ? I didn't think so. A self-reflecting, soul-searching poem would have impressed me. However, his was about the dark force he think somebody else is.

This singer embarrassed many by a rather insensitive to the occasion song "Anamol.. Gundruk ko Jhol" at the beginning, however he compensated it by another good and patriotic song, " Ma mare pani Malaai Mero...".

Sita Pandey with her poem " Malaai euta yesto Yoddha ko Talaash Chha". A touching poem, particularly the final lines. She was saying if there ain't this warrior as yet, I would like to give birth to him.

During a conversation after the program, I inquired if it will be just to claim that she belongs to the pioneer feminist writers of Nepal. It was too noisy to keep the conversation on, however, she appeared glad with my comment.

Vinod Roka, the winner of the 1st prize at the competition. Was a good poem, particularly the message. However, it was largely rhetorical.

Vinod happens to be a friend of an ancient friend of mine when I was studying law in Nepal Law Campus in Kathmandu ! I met this friend after more than two decades at NY rally. Vinod was surprised to see him calling me तँ मुला !

Ramesh Khakurel stole the show at the very end of the program by singing recital of his simple yet a sweet ghazal. He brought an atmosphere of an Urdu Mushai'ra at the room.

Finally, a fun moment. Dr. Ramsharan Mahan yawning हा....ई

Thank you Nepe ji for sharing pictures.

Here is formal press release dispatched by INLS NY Chapter:

Press Release





cGt/f{li6?o g]kfnL ;flxTo ;dfh, Go[\of]s{ RofK6/n] oxL cS6f]a/ @(, @))% zlgjf/sf lbg 95-25 Queens Blvd, Tandoor Restaurant df Pp6f ";flxTo ;f"em tyf (& cf} b]jsf]6f hoGtL" sf] cfof]hgf u/]sf lyof] . pQm cj;/df Go[\of]s{ l:yt o'lg;]km sfof{nosf pkdxflgb]{zs >L s'nrGb| uf}td k|d'v cltly /xg' ePsf] lyof] . cGo ljlzi6 kfx'gfx?df ;o'Qm /fi6? ;+3sf nflu g]kfn clw/fHosf :yfoL k|ltlglw dxfdlxd >L dw'/d0f cfrfo{, cGt/f{li6?o g]kfnL ;flxTo ;dfh, s]Gb|Lo sfof{nosf s]Gb|Lo cWoIf tyf slj k|f]= df]xg l;6f}nf, jflz?6g l8=;L, jl/i6 slj >L /d]z vs'/]n, o'jf ;flxTosf/ >L uf]ljGb lu/L k|]/0ff, elh{gLof, ;flxTosf/ >L a;Gt >]i7, elh{gLof, tyf c=g]=;f=;=af]:6gsL cWoIf ef/tL uf}tdsf] pkl:ylt lyof] . :juL{o dxfslj nIdLk|;fb b]jsf]6fsf] t:jL/df :yfoL k|ltlglw dxfdlxd >L dw'/d0f cfrfo{n] dfNofk{0f ug'{ eO{ z'? ePsf] sfo{qmd s/Lj rf/ 306f;Dd c;fWo} /f]rs lsl;dn] ;~rfng ePsf] lyof] . o:tf] lsl;dsf] e]nf Go[\of]s{ zx/df klxnf] k6s ePsf] xf] eGg] w]/} aif{ b]lv Go[\of]s{d} a;f]af; ul//xg' ePsf g]kfnLx?sf] egfO{ lyof] .

cGt/f{li6?o g]kfnL ;flxTo ;dfh, Go[\of]s{ RofK6/sL cWoIf >LdtL uLtf vqLn] sfo{qmddf efu lng cfpg' ePsf ljlzi6 kfx'gfx?, ljlzi6 /rgfsf/x? tyf ;flxTo k|]dLx?nfO{ :jfut ub}{ o; ;+:yfn] ljb]zdf /x]/ klg g]kfnL efiff, ;flxTo, snf / ;+:s[ltsf] ljsf;df 7[\nf] d2t k'/\ofpg] ljZjf; JoQm ug'{ eof] . To:t} Go[\of]s{df cltlqmofzLn Joj;foL >LdtL d[b'nf sf]O/fnfn] cGt/f{li6?o g]kfnL ;flxTo ;dfh, Go[\of]s{ RofK6/sf] 5f]6f] kl/ro lbg' x'b} :juL{o dxfslj b]jsf]6fsf] af/]df 5f]6f] rrf{ ug'{ ePsf] lyof] . o'jf ;flxTosf/ >L a;Gt >]i7n] :juL{o dxfsljsf] rrf{ ug'{ x'"b} b]jsf]6fsf] (^ cf} hGd hoGtL geO{ (& cf} xf] elg o;af/]df ePsf] k|df0fsf] af/]df rrf{ ug{' ePsf] lyof] . o;kl5 sjolq >LdtL Hof]tL kf}8]nn] efO{sf] ;Demgf, sjolq >Ldlt k'gd sfk\mn]n] dxfslj nIdLk|;fb b]jsf]6f, sjloqL uLtf vqLn] dgsf lt;{gf, kl/tf /fhe08f/Ln] slxn] lkmtf{ kfpg], hubLz pkfWoon] Tof] /fd] / d, cgGt l/;fnn] af"sL 5, lbks v8\sfn] c;fWo} ld7f] uhn, s'GtL yfkfn] dfof, emnfgfy vgfnn] pNsf, tN;L pkfWofon] gf/L ltdL pm7, k'ikf clwsf/L uf}tdn] uhn, o'jfslj uf]ljGb lu/L k|]/0ffn] x8\8L / b]zsf] dfglrq, k|f] df]xg l;6f}nf, 8f= xl/x/ e6\6/fO, gLnf clwsf/L, uug lj/xLHo[\x?n] ck|ltof]lu sljtf jfrg ug'{ eof] . >LdtL zf]ef kf]v/]n >]i7n] d]/f] ;u/dfyf, /lj clwsf/Ln] cfdfsf] lr7\7L, ef/tL uf}tdn] ;fgLdfsf] sfv sljtf afrg ePsf] lyof] . sfo{qmdnfO{ /f]rs agfpg cfof]hsx?n] larlardf uLtnfO{ ;dfj]z ug'{ ePsf] lyof] . >f]tfju{sf] cfn:okgnfO{ ;lhjtf lb+b} snfsf/ >L pHHjn d}gfnL cfk\mg} Kof/f]8Ln] /f}gstf ylklbg' ePsf] lyof] . csf{ snfsf/ >L k|sfz u'??n] To:t} cfsf]{ uLt ufO{ >f]tfnfO{ dgf]/Ghg lbg' ePsf] lyof] / sfo{qmdsf] clGtd dgf]/Ghsf nflu snfsf/ >L Pn=hL= vfDaf]r]n] e]8fsf] pmg h:tf] eGg] uLt ufpg' eO{ >f]tfnfO{ h'?sh'?s p7fO{ lbg' ePsf] lyof] .

k|ltof]lutfTd sfo{qmd ePsf]n] lg0ff{os d08ndf kf"rhgf jl/i7 JolQmTjsf] rog ul/Psf] lyof] . k|d'v lg0ff{os >L d[\/fl//fh zdf{, e[\tk[\j{ :yfoL k|ltlglw, / cGo ;b:ox?df k|f]= df]xg l;6f}nf, 8f= tf/f lg/f}nf, >L uug la/xL, tyf >LdtL ;Ltf kf08] /xg' ePsf] lyof] .

k|yd k'/:sf/ >L ljgf]b /f]SsfnfO{ a'4 df/]/ zflGt vf]Hb}5f}+ sljtfsf nflu k|bfg ul/Psf] lyof] eg] bf];|f k'/:sf/ /fwf kf}8]nnfO{ bLkx? aNb} gaNg] eP sljtfsf nflu k|bfg ul/of] eg] t];|f] k'/:sf/ >L ;Gtf]if yklnofnfO{ n]v'" n]Vg ldNb}g af]n'" af]Ng ldNb}g sljtfsf nflu k|bfg ul/Psf] lyof] . k'/:sf/ k|d'v cltly >L s'nrGb| uf}tdHo[\df k|bfg ePsf] lyof] . ;Dk[\0f{ sfo{qmdsf] Master of Ceremony snfsf/ >L z}n]z >]i7n] cToGt /f]rs 9+un] ug'{ ePsf] lyof] .

sl/j @)) hlt >f]tf tyf /rgfsf/x?sf] le8n] cfof]hsx?nfO{ s]xLa]/ cTofO{ lbPsf] lyof] . ld7f] /flqef]hsf ;fy;fy} sfo{qmdsf] ;dfkg ePsf] lyof] .



uLtf vqL,

cWoIf,

cGt/f{li6?o g]kfnL ;flxTo ;dfh, Go[\of]s{ RofK6/

cS6f]a/ #), @))%

What Jhalanath doing in NY? Did he give up poltics???