I am a Free Man: L B Chhetri

Poet and Story Writer L B Chhetri

L B Chhetri, a story writer, and poet from Nepal, has three books to his credit. Mr. Chhetri is a literary activist, who is actively engaged in the literary activities to promote Nepali literature from local to international level. Following are the excerpts of the conversation with him by Gopi Sapkota for Cactus.

I would like to start with a common question, why do you write?

The common question to you Gopi is an uncommon one for me. Why I write?  I read others and I want others too to read me. So, I write. I have feelings, thoughts, and experiences and I prefer sharing these with others, so I write. When I read others, two apparent reactions are there on me. One, the book I am reading is very good and I too must try to write such good books. Second, the book is not good. I must write better than such not good books.  These are the thoughts often occupy my mind. But honestly speaking, I write for my satisfaction.

What are you writing nowadays?
I am a retired elder citizen.I am a free man and enjoy writing regularly. Last year only I got my two anthologies published: one story collection and another a poem collection. Thus, I write stories, poems, memoir, and essays. I am also working on a novel on women struggle and emancipation. I love visiting the world and so for I have visited America, Australia, the UK, a few countries of Europe. I have also visited India, Bangladesh, Myanmar.   I love writing travelogues as well. 

Now, right now what I am writing -  I spend much of my time on my Autobiography.  Once it is completed, I would prefer to convert it into a fiction.   

You have both collections of stories and poetry. Which is your favorite genre to write?
Well, to me writing short stories (say story) is comfortable zone provided I am working with and on a good plot.  Composing poetry is very difficult. I have no heart to declare myself a poet. Yet, I compose poems too. But I don’t dare to call myself a poet. Yet, I compose poems too.   Yes, one can call me a story writer. My stories are of my own style, call it ‘l b style.’

Two books by Writer Chhetri

What do you think about balancing thought and feeling in your writing? Which component dominates you, while you are writing?
You know, the tussle is between the mind and the heart.  I have a thought that tends to dominate my feelings. But, I have a feeling that tends to love the world and the weaker most.  My story ‘FATAHA SUBAS’ most of the people liked. Mentally, I was disturbed by Subas’s misconduct for a week and the readers were suspicious how I will react once he returns with the lost motorbike but ultimately my heart wins for I am not sever on him. We all are the human being and we ought to love everyone. This is how I perceive the world and it is my feeling that can’t be dominated by my thought.  Rather, we should make a balance.

You had been teaching for a long time. There is certainly a ‘Professor’ living inside you. How does the life of a professor influence your writing? 

Not much in fact. Honestly speaking, I am proud of that Professor living inside me.  That helps to identify me in the present society of small Nepal. I love being small ‘l‘ and small ‘b’. Had that Professor not been inside me I would have been, perhaps, L B, an egoist, a disgrace on me.  It doesn’t affect my writing.  Let me explain you this way - once I was lecturing on Shelly’s poem ‘Ode to a Skylark’. I spent almost a period of 50 minutes to explain just two lines-

‘We look before and after
and pine for what is not.’ 

The students were happy. The same day in the evening while preparing my next day’s lecture, I struggled hard to compose a poem on the same theme in Nepali. But alas! I failed.  And I realized a Professor of poetry doesn’t necessarily make a poet.  One can be a good teacher and deliver good lecture on a poet’s creation but he can’t be a poet by himself.  What I mean is a professor of poetry and a creator of poetry are two different identities. Yes, blessed are a few having both identities in one. Now the Professor, very much alive inside me, saves me from several viruses and doesn’t disturb me in my creative activities. I have composed a few good poems too.

What do you think about the idea that the creative writers need to do some research before they write?

That will be short of a training perhaps. I am in a state of ambivalence.  Knowing some methodology is not bad. But, talking about teachers - do the Master ( Arts) degree holders need to qualify Masters in Education for teaching? Are the PhD holders’ better teachers than only Master degree holders? I do not think so.  A teacher is an artist, he doesn’t need an additional course to make him a good teacher.  Similarly, if one burdens himself with research works the poet or the creators may get his original (crude) creative art-laden.

Research work is for methodology. I agree it can help in structure shaping or to some extent crafting. 

L B Chhetri: The Mood

I think you initiated some activities to promote Nepali writing in English in Chitwan. Could you please tell us about it?

Long back we started VIEW Chitwan (Village of English Writers) and the purpose was, as you suggest, to create a platform for English students to work on Nepali literature in English language.  Ishwor Kadel wrote a novel and published a poetry book; Vishwa Subedi came out with his English poetry anthology.  I am transliterating my Nepali short stories into English.  The result, however, is not satisfactory.  Say almost all give priority to earn the livelihood and are engaged in jobs.  They do not have enough time for creation. As adults, they end up with jobs and families, say they enjoy busy lives.  

Could you tell us about your observation on contemporary Nepalese writing?

To a greater extent, Nepal’s socio-political and socio-economic life has had a great impact on contemporary Nepalese writings.  The present generation of writers in Nepal are the products of long unrest and struggle and are very much conscious politically and socially. How politics is harming their growth? Why is Nepal economically sinking? Where is the Nepali society heading towards? And many such questions have become the concern of the common people. And the same is reflected in their creations whether fiction, poetry or drama.  Thus, it has become a source of expressing people’s anger, repugnance, and contempt, the question of women’s emancipation, identity, the voice of margins and many injustices prevailing in society.

Writer L B Chhetri with Poet Tulasi Diwas

About writings, I must say it’s ok. Reading and writing culture has developed here and in the past Nepali market did witness the presence of good creations. But the same writers who gave good works in the beginning, fail to further the same standard. The serious readers have noticed it and are disappointed. However, out of hundreds of books produced every year, a few are really good and win laurels and awards.

It is a high time that Nepalese writing needs to be promoted at the international level. Where do you think we need to work and focus?
It has to. But how? It’s a big challenge. Often, I am encountered with a question – are we really interested in? The well-wishers are eager to see Nepali literature in the world market but are not perhaps aware that we need to have our writers of that standard. The literature we produce does not, perhaps, meet international standard.
           
We have, though not in bulk, great novels, dramas, short stories, essays and epics of the past in our credit but these are not enough to take our literature in the world market. These are to be translated first in English and in different languages.

Our Nepali readers and scholars are scattered all over the world; literary organizations are formed, programs are conducted but no effort is made to translate our good works into English and other languages.  Such organizations are limited to mark the functions like Laxmi Jayanti, Lekhnath Jayanti, Saraswati Pooja, poetry recital and award distributions.

Nepal Pragya Pratishthan can play a vital role by taking in confidence organizations like International Nepali Literary Society and work for promoting Nepali literature in world market though good translation work.  I want to be personal here taking a small space. I wanted to join hands with International Nepali Literary Society team as an advisor with an intention to work as one of the promoters. I am very much eager to promote Nepali literature all over the world.  I approached the concerned people of INLS in America but all in vain. They, with their vested interest, remained happy with the same advisory team.  They can still work on it and send a team of experts to Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and other universities of the world and request them to include our books and memoirs in non-western literature study. We need a vision to work, commitment and best effort. We lack these essentials, dear Gopi.

What is your plan for future as a writer?

So far, I have three books to my credit, two short stories, and one poetry collection.  Right now, I am working on my novel on women struggle for emancipation, one more fiction, based on my biographical details, some travelogues.  I am, at the same time, trans-creating (in English) my short stories written in Nepali.  I have a lot to write, a lot to read as well. I lack time.