Phulman Bal
Characters grown-up in Nepali background and soaked in the culture of ancient Banaras of India in the psychological novels of Bishweshwor Prasad Koirala (B. P. Koirala) certainly reminds one of the archetypal Banaras.
Group members of Banaras trip in Ganga river. pic by: phulman
However, this time, the travelogue isn’t about the fictional characters of B.P, but a group of artists, performers and media personals who had set off for a journey from Kathmandu to Banaras to pay a tribute to this late novelists and a revered political figure in Nepal. Established as a terrain where once Nepali language, literature and politics were cultivated, Kashi or Banaras was for the first time organizing an event where political revolutionist B.P was officially being commemorated.
A still from ‘yek rat’. pic by: phulman
Spending most of his life time in Vanarasi, Koirala was not only born there, but completed his education and commenced his political career from this popular pilgrimage destination for devotees. Along with plotting the democratic movements of 2007 B.C, he also spent years in Vanarasi after he was exiled from Nepal during the autocrat Panchayat rule in the Himalayan nation.
Bringing back the memories of B.P. Koirala and his struggle for the democracy in Nepal were a team of performing artists from Sarwanam theatre group and six familiar names in the field of Nepali theatre and movies. From the beginning of the journey, director Ashesh Malla had been brimming with excitement and anxiety for he was given the responsibility of directing “Ek Rath”, a story by B. P. Koirala himself.
While the play ‘Ek Rath’ was being staged at the Banaras Hindu University where politician Koirala had completed his education, audiences recalled the established diplomatic as well as cultural relationship between India and Nepal. “Koirala has also contributed in the freedom movement of India,” opined Anju Saran, director of Nepal Education centre of Banaras Hindu University. Adding further, she said, “Not only for Nepali citizens, he is also a source of inspiration for India politician.”
Written at the Sundari Jal jail by B .P. Koirala, ‘Ek Rath’ revolves around the character of martyr Durga Nanda Jha who was lynched after being apprehended for Janakpur Bomb Kanda. He was executed on 15 Magh 2020 B.S. for an attempted murder of Late King Mahendra. After the declaration of Panchayat system in Nepal, Durga Nanda had attacked the vehicle of King Mahendra while the late King was on his trip to Janakpur. Basically, known for his sexual psychological writings, “Ek Rath” is Koirala’s only creation raising political issue.
Oh ! Ganga, Oh ! banaras. pic by:Phulman.
The grid- locked traffic of Auto Rickshaws and cycles, and mind numbing crowd of Banaras was certainly a unique experience for a person visiting this town for the very first time. Amidst the mass, people were found reading reports published on broadsheets regarding the show we all were part of.
“Previously, we were totally unaware about B. P. Koirala,” disclosed Jyoti Sharma, a local newspaper reporter covering the week- long event organized by B.P. Koirala Nepal- India Foundation.
On the second day of the program, paintings and art works on the theme of the dramatic piece ‘Ek Rath’ were exhibited at the Visual Art department of Banaras Hindu University.
Not only with colors, canvases were wrapped with emotions and temperaments of participant artists from two friendly nations, demonstrating their sentiments associated with the story of Durga Nanda and recent loktantric movements in Nepal. Using acrylic mediums, the paintings gave an impression of violent movements and chaos with the use of intense colors such as red and at the same time a hope for peace and progress using colors like yellow and white.
Artist Ragini Upadyaya with her painting. pic by: phulman
Standing aside his paintings, Indian artist Pranam Singh was explaining to the visitors, “With the peace process in Nepal, the era of violence and bloodshed has now come to an end. The blurred gun with faint colors on my art works explains this contemplation.” Along with Pranam Singh, renowned Indian artists such as Binaya Singh, D. P. Mohanthi and Shiva Nath Roy had also portrayed their outlook on their canvases.
“Instead of horses that indicate tyranny and autocrats, now I’m endeavoring to paint pigeons,” revealed artist Durga Baral pointing at the faded sketches of horses signifying the down fall of monocracy in Nepal.
While painter Ragini portrayed anger and hope in her paintings of Dharahara and Ghanta Ghar, artists Ratan Rai, Radhe Shyam Mulmi and Chanda Shrestha resorted to some scenes from the play itself.
We left India on the sixth day after we crossed the border at Sunauli. But what we didn’t leave back was the experience of enhancing the political and cultural relationship between Nepal and India. “This journey is now worth being associated to the memories of BP and Benaras,” opined director Ashesh Malla.
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