Dibrugarh: A lively debate on Nepal’s geopolitical orientation dominated a session at the ongoing international literary festival in Assam’s Dibrugarh University.
The four-day event, featuring over 200 writers from approximately 25 countries across Asia, Africa, and Europe, includes more than 50 sessions exploring various literary and cultural themes.
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The discussion, titled “Nepal Narrative: People, Palace and Politics,” featured Kathmandu-based author Amish Raj Mulmi, author of “All Roads Lead North: Nepal’s Turn to China,” as a panelist.
Mulmi acknowledged the strain in Nepal-India relations in recent years, attributing it to Nepal’s increasing reliance on China.
He argued that despite historical and cultural ties with India, Nepal’s need for economic development resources has driven it to “look north” towards China.
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Countering this perspective, former Indian ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae, suggested, in a lighter vein, that the book’s title should have been “All Roads Lead to South,” emphasizing Nepal’s stronger historical and cultural connections with India.
Mulmi noted that the abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy in 2008, which also marked the end of Nepal as the world’s only Hindu nation, initially improved relations with India, but that these relations later deteriorated.
Smriti Ravindra, a Nepali writer known for her debut novel, “The Woman Who Climbed Trees,” highlighted the shared similarities between India and Nepal.
Both Mulmi and Ravindra pointed out the common misconception in literature of portraying all Nepalis as living near the Himalayas and engaging in mountaineering, overlooking the vast Terai lowland region in southern Nepal.
Ravindra, who hails from the Terai, explained that this misrepresentation obscures the real stories of its people.
She also noted that Madheshis, residents of southern Nepal, are sometimes mistaken for Indians, even within Nepal, due to their physical resemblance.
She lamented that the Madheshi community often feels marginalized by northern Nepalis and the government due to their proximity and connections to India.
Identifying as Madheshi rather than Nepali, Ravindra proudly shared that intermarriages with Indians are common in her family, feeling more like marrying into another state than another country.
Responding to an audience question, both writers acknowledged that while Nepalese have a global diaspora, their literary output has not yet reached its full potential.Sources and related content