Basibiyalo – A Short Introduction; Basibiyalo Shatakiya Prakaran - Ek Unmukta Wichar

Anup Moktan

(This part was presented by Shri Anup Moktan of Kafer while welcoming the literary figures thronged all the way from different corners on the occasion of Shatakiya Prakaran held at Town Hall, Kalimpong on 5/6 November, 2011 - Ed.)

Namaste.

Before we begin the day’s function, it is imperative to enlighten our distinguished guests present here with the concept and history behind Basibiyalo.

One of the episodes of Basibiyalo held at Silver Oaks hotel, Kpg

Basibiyalo, meaning ‘pastime’, is a get-together of literature and language enthusiasts that is organized on every second Saturday of a month. It was actually started as a platform where people could share creative ideas pertaining to any field without any inhibition or apprehension.

 One unique feature of Basibiyalo is that it does not require any president or secretary or any of the formalities that are characteristic of official meetings. It is an informal event where members are encouraged to give vent to their feelings about issues that they feel are important to our society. There is also no definite quorum for these gatherings and it has been, therefore, suitably described as a ‘forum without quorum’.

Here, in the platform of Basibiyalo, one can share those views and opinions which he is not free to express in the society due to several factors. In Basibiyalo you do not need to recite poems only but you may criticize the prevailing system with open mind. You do not need permission to laugh or leave the hall.

Basibiyalo was, in fact, started at Gangtok in the early 90s of the last century when most of the peace-loving creative writers of Kalimpong had sought refuge in Sikkim to escape from the violence unleashed during the Gorkhaland aandolan spearheaded by the Gorkha National Liberation Front here. One of such figures was C. K. Shrestha, a well-known theatre personality, who initiated the idea of organizing a monthly gathering of aandolan victims where they would talk about home and other issues.

He was later joined by Dr. Rajendra Bhandari, Madhusudan Lama, Mandip Lama, Shyam Pradhan, N. B. Tiwari, and later by Sanu Lama, Sanubhai Sharma, Pemba Tamang, Samiran Chhetri ‘Priyadarshi’, Pushpa Sharma, Shanti Chhetri, Bijay Bantawa, Kalusingh Ranapaheli, Subash Dipak, Late Kamala Aansu, Late Purna Rai, Late Radha Krishna Sharma, Late Bali Subba Basanta, to name a few.

Most of these monthly gatherings were held at the MLA hostel located at Tibet Road. The then Ministers and MLAs also used to visit these venues to relax from their daily grind of public service.

The monthly meetings were discontinued after over 40 episodes as peace was restored in the Darjeeling hills, which was followed by the departure of Shrestha and others from Gangtok. However, the impact had already been made. In fact, the concept of forming the then national-level organization Bharatiya Nepali Rashtriya Parishad was reportedly conceived during the gathering of Basibiyalo. Later, this organization had played a vital role to include the Nepali language in the VIIIth Schedule of the Indian Constitutiion in 1992.

Basibiyalo has now shifted to Kalimpong. It was first organized here in the year 1992. However, due to various factors the programme was discontinued after two years. Now the present generation has re-started it with new gusto and with the mission to turn Kalimpong into a hub for Nepali literature. The episodes of Basibiyalo have now crossed its indoor barriers and have come out in open spaces like paddy fields, forest villages, and the confluence of the Tessta-Rangeet Rivers. The outdoor episodes have so far been organized in Mungpoo, Lava, Melli in Sikkim, Echhey Busty, East Main Road, etc. The 50^th and 75^th episodes were organized at Mangal Dham and Ramkrishna Rangamanch, respectively, where the literati like Mahananda Poudyal and Nar Bahadur Dahal were conferred the title of Gaon Buraa (Village Head) for their tireless contribution towards the development of Nepali literature.

This programme is gaining its height every day. Presently the programme of Basibiyalo is regularly held in Singtam, East Sikkim and similar kinds of functions are organized in Rhenok, Gangtok and other places in different names.

A considerable number of young writers have elevated from the platform of Basibiyalo. Earlier this open space of Basibiyalo was utilized by writers like Dr. Harka Bahadur Chhetri, Moti Prasad Sharma,Min Liwang, Arun Prakash Rai, to name a few. The regular attendance of reputed writers like Gyan Sutar, Samsher Ali, Munu Gautam, C. K. Shrestha, B.K. Shilal, Sashi Sunam, etc. is encouraging young and aspiring writers like Sarita Samdarshi, Sudesh Khati, Raghunath Dangal, Rabindra Shilal, Ashim Saagar, Dhan Bahadur Magar, Siba Chetri Sibu, etc.

More recently, Kalimpong has been witness to a number of book-releasing/launching functions which only goes to show the development of the town as a literary hub. Book releasing ceremonies like Charitra story special (edited by Sanjay Bishta), Biu Bhaley (short story collection by Samsher Ali), Kaalo Gulaab (ghazal collection by Arun Sampang and Suraz Subba), Darjeeling ko Saano Rail (children poems by B. K. Silal), Manpida (poems by Smt. Sanumati Rai) amply suffice to assert the fact that this little town has been trying to become a destination for Nepali literature. This growing literary popularity of the town compelled Suraj Dhadkan of Chungthung, Darjeeling to release his recently published Ghar (short story collection) here in Kalimpong.

Basibiyalo has now completed its 100^th episode in Kalimpong and this two day long event is being organized to mark the occasion which has been a milestone in the history of Nepali literature. We are thankful to you all for having taken the trouble to grace this occasion with your valuable presence.  Our special thanks to those Nepali language and literature lovers who have come to attend and participate in this programme from different parts of this country like Hyderabad, Kokrajhar, Patna, Delhi, Mumbai etc. We hope that you will enjoy your stay here and also expect vital suggestions as to the steps that need to be taken for the uplift of our language and literature in this part of the world.

~{g{~`m±bmo eVH$s` àH$aU … EH$ CÝ_wº$ {dMma

- CX` gwã~m JmoIm©

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गान्धी आश्रमका विद्यार्धीहरू बेलावादन  गर्दै 

                {dMmaH$mo CÝ_wº$ C‹S>mZ ~{g{~`m±bmoŸ& gwÞbmB© bmbm{`V ^BahoH$m hþÝN>m¢Ÿ& ì`{º$H$mo OrdZ Am`w ^Egå_, {dMmaH$mo OrdZ dm`w ^Egå_Ÿ& CX²KmofH$ hram N>oÌrÁ`yH$mo `mo {dMma {MÝVZ, _ZZ JZ©wnZ} OñVmo bm½N>Ÿ& `hr~mM Chm±~mQ>¡ Wmhm bm½N> S>m. hH©$~hmXwa N>oÌr ({dYm`H$) n{Z AmBnw¾o bm¾w^EH$mo N>Ÿ& Cgar Z¡ [aZmH$ à{V^m _#mH$mo Q>mobr n{Z AmBnw{JgHo$H$mo N>Ÿ&

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                `{V ~obmgå_ {XZ n{Z T>{bgHo$H$mo N>Ÿ& àojmJ¥h_m A{KH$mo OñVmo Ë`mo IMmIM N>¡ZŸ& n{N>pëVaH$m ~o#mrhê$ àm`… Imbr ^BgHo$H$m N>Z²Ÿ& `ñVmo AdñWm_m [aÎmm ~o#mrhê$bmB© H${dVm ~`mZ Jar gwZmCZ H${dhê$ AmâZm H${dVmH$mo An_mZ R>mÝXN>Z²Ÿ& `mo ñdm^m{dH$ n{Z N>Ÿ& Ë`g¡ a EH$ `wdm H${dbo AmâZmo _ZH$mo AmdoJbmB© WmåZ ZgHo$H$ nmoImBnR>mC±N>Z²Ÿ& Chm±H$mo AmdoJbmB© n{Z hm_r lmoVmbo EH$ CÝ_wº$ {dMmaH$mo C‹S>mZ¡ _mÝN>m¢Ÿ&  `Vm ~{g{~`m±bmoH$mo A{Z gwÝXa ~{g{~`m±bmo-_m Zdmo{XV N>mÌm H${d`Ìrhê$H$m {dMmabmB© ~wÂZ nmC±Xm {g{¸$__m gm{hË`bo am_«¡ \$ñQ>mCZ bmJoH$mo Am^mg nmC±N>m¢Ÿ&

                n{hbmo {XZH$mo H$m`©H«$__m g_mdoe ^EH$m gmL²>Jr{VH$ àñVw{Vhê$_m H$mbo~wL> JmÝYr Aml_H$m {dÚmWuhê$Ûmam ~obm_m ñd. Aê$Um bm_mH$mo JrV hoa Z hoa H$mÝN>m S>m±‹S>mbmB© \y$bbo T>mŠ`mo, `mo Zonmbr {ea CMmar a aoe_ {\$[aar.. aoe_ {\$[aar..-bo nwamZm {XZH$m gåPZmhê$ {~C±PmB{XÝN>Z²Ÿ& Cgar Z¡ ~{hZr JrVm e_m©H$mo gw_Ywa ñdabo Aê$Um bm_mH¡$ JrV \y$bbmB© gmoY| H$hm± J`mo ^_am... bo ñd. Aê$Um bm_mH$mo `mXbmB© VmOm ~ZmB{XÝN>Ÿ& JrV_m {dMma nmoImCZo Jm`H$ éXoZ emhr, JL²>Jm _w{I`m, gwlr Aßgam Xmhmb Am{XH$m H$U©{à` _Ywa ñdabo dmVmdaUbmB© _Zmoa_ nm[aamIoH$mo hþÝN>Ÿ&

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                ^mo{bnëQ> {~hmZ 10…30 _m Chr aL²>J_#m~m{ha gmjmËH$ma hþÝN> lr gr. Ho$. loð>Á`y, lr_Vr gmZw_{V amB©, lr hH©$~hmXwa N>oÌrÁ`y VWm lr Vwbgr {K{_aoÁ`y OñVm gm{hË` a Mb{MÌ hñVrhê${gVŸ& àojmJ¥h~m{ha JoQ>_m C{^Ea¡ Chm±hê${gV \$moQ>mo {bZw n{Z MwH$mC±X¡Zm¢Ÿ& AmOH$mo ^obm_m lr {Q>H$m ^mBbo _ZmoamoJ Om±M (H$mì` àhgZ) VWm H${dVm Im‹S>b ^Zoa AmâZm {dMmahê$ Xe©H${gV ~m±S²ZwhþÝN>Ÿ& Cgar Z¡ lr Oo. ~amBbr XmOu{bL>~mQ>, lr YZdra nwar, lr JUoe ~amBbr, lr JmoHw$b agmBbr {_[aH$~mQ> A{Z {gbJ‹T>r~mQ> bú_U Xmhmb, Igm©L>~mQ> lr ^dmZr e_m© VWm gmoZmXm gm{hË` g§ñWmZ~mQ> H${d hH©$amO {H$am±V, lr H¡$bme JwéL> a `mo H$b_H$ma ñd`§bo H$Wm, H${dVm a JOb Am{XH$mo _mÜ`_~mQ> Am-AmâZm {dMmabmB© {dk Xe©H$dJ©g_j am»Z nmC±Xm Anma AmZÝX bm½N>Ÿ& `Ú{n, hm_«m `wdm H${d lr OBÝÐ Oo{Z`_, lr amOoÝÐ nmgm A{Z ^mB Zaoe H$Qw>dmbbo AmO n{Z `mo Adga nmCZ ZgHo$H$mo I„mo AZw^d ^BahÝN>Ÿ& {~hma a ~mo‹S>moë`mÊS>~mQ> AmCµZw^EH$m gm{hË`H$ma ~ÝYwhê$bo n{Z AmOH$mo ^obm_m AmâZm ~hþ_yë` {dMmahê$ àñVwV JZ©whþÝN>Ÿ&

                `Vm K‹S>rH$mo H$m±Q>mbo XwB ~OoH$mo gyMZm {XÝN>Ÿ& Ka \$H©$ZwnZ} AmOŸ& ~gm¢-~gm¢, gwZm¢-gwZm¢ bm½Xm bm½X¡ n{Z CR>oa {h±S²Z¡nZ} ~mÜ`Vm hm_«moŸ& ~m{ha AmEa hVma hVma MmnMmn-MwnMwn ImZm {Q>ßN>m¢Ÿ& Ë`gn{N> lr e_goa Abr g§`moOH$, ~{g{~`m±bmobmB© ^oQ>oa YÝ`~mX {XÝN>m¢ Am¡ H$m`©H«$_ g\$b ahoH$mo_m ~YmB© n{ZŸ& gm±ƒ¡ Chm±H$mo IQ>mB, àË`oH$ Hw$am_m VËnaVm XoIoa N>¸$ naoH$m hþÝN>m¢Ÿ& Chm± OñVm Aê$ n{Z Yoa¡bmB© Ë`hm± HI{Q>ahoH$m Xo»N>m¢Ÿ& `ñV¡ {ZñdmW© `moJXmZ a ñdVñ\y$V© ì`{º$JV A{^éMrbo _mÌ g_mO C±^mo CR²>ZgŠN>, Om{V AJm{‹S> ~T²ZgŠN> OñVmo bm½N>Ÿ&

                AÝV_m, ^Þ _Z bm½N> - ~{g{~`m±bmo eVH$s` àH$a__m _¡bo Yoa¡ am_«m Hw$amhê$ nmE±, {gH|$, OmZ| a AP¡ {gŠZwnZ} Hw$amhê$ Yoa¡ ahoN>Z² ^Þo ~moY Ja|Ÿ& _m`m Jar {ZåË`mCZw ^EH$mo_m eVH$s` àH$aUH$mo Am`moOZm g{_{VH$m g~¡bmB© Am^ma ì`º$ JX£ gmZmoXm gm{hË` g§ñWmZH$mo nj~mQ> eVeV gbm_!!!