Monthly Literary Programme Basibiyalo held at Mongpu

shared by Hira Chettri

The popular monthly literary programme Basibiyalo has already crossed its boundary of Kalimpong town and started to reach different localities in the surroundings. The programme has also witnessed change in its format as it has now started to be organized outdoor. The outdoor episodes of this programme haveso far been held in various outskirts like Lava, Mangaldham, Melli (Sikkim), Tribeni (Confluence of Teesta and Rangeet rivers), Ramkrishna Rangamanch, Kalimpong after its re-inception in the year 2005. This time the local literature lovers of Kalimpong experienced a new height when it was organized in very famous literary place Mongpu.

Marking the 148th birth anniversary of poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore, the 77th Episode of Basibiyalo was held at Rabindra Bhawan, Mongpo on 10th of May. The programme organised at the initiative of Mongpo Sahitya Parishad and its activists including Udai Thulung, Umesh Upama, Sanjay Bista and other was attended by senior Nepali literary figures Sanumati Rai, D.Kumar Pariyar etc. The programme included recitation of self-composed poems by prominent and young literary personalities of Nepali language. On the occasion a self composed English poem was also recited by Ashif Ali, the youngest among the participants. The new faces to read out their compositon included Bigyan Sharma, Bhim Acharya, Madana Ojha, Bijay Pradhan, Sarita Samadarshi, Bhumika Bhujel, Jangey Tamang, Arun Sampang, Deep Thapa, Sujit Thapa, Anit Khati, Dushyanta Ramudamu, Munal Ghising, Nirmal Tamang, Amrit Kharka, Khagendra Baraily, Anil Sintury etc. while the reputed literary figures like T.N. Subedi, B.K. Shilal, Sahadeo Giri, Ashim Sagar, Dr. Kamal Pokhrel, Udai Thulung, Shanti Rai Sahara, Kiran Blon, etc. presented their creative articles. The programme which was attended by about one hundred literature lovers from Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Mongpo, Mangmaya and Sikkim was conducted by Umesh Upama and Siba Chhetri ‘Sibu’. To make the occasion a memorable one the senior members of Basibiyalo like Smt. Leela Joshi, C.P. Pradhan and junior member Raju Nepali sang Nepali folk songs. While addressing the gathering Hira Chhetri highlighted the background of Basibiyalo programme and also spoke on the prevailing disparity in the Nepali language. The view of Chhetri was seconded by Sanjay Bista, a lecturer in Kalimpong College in the Nepali subject. Both of them stressed to avoid disparity in Nepali writing and emphasized correct usage of the language by the writers. Samsher Ali, Co-ordinator of Basibiyalo spoke about the contribution of Mongpo Cinchona Plantation towards development of Nepali literature and recalled the reputed names of Mongpo who have played unforgettable roles to uplift the Nepali language.

Earlier young literary figure Udai Thulung welcomed the guests to Mungpo. A book titled Geet Ganga authored by Kribu Sanyami of Saddam, Sikkim was also released on the occasion by Smt. Sanumati Rai.

The participants also paid a visit to the Rabindranath museum located near the Rabindra Bhawan and paid their respect to the late poet on his birth anniversary.