‘Sambedanako Aakar’ is a compelling collection of Nepali poems written by Maheshwar Sharma. The book features 40 poems that were published in 2022, including translated titles such as “Mother and Ocean”, “Shape”, “Heat of Fire”, “Light and Shade,” “Be Aware!”, “Relatives,” “Deception,” “Time,” “Address,” “Father’s House,” “Her Sleep,” “Prices of Mask,” “Country inside Me,” “Love Taught by Country,” “People Who Beg for Vote,” “People Who put Make-up on Their Ugly Face,” “Eyes,” “Letter,” “Birthday,” “Mother and River,” “Happy Father’s Day-Happy Mother’s Day,” “Truth,” “Fire,” “Mother,” “Isolation,” “Heaven,” “Rich and Poor,” “Rich,” “In Search of Country,” “Call Me Mad,” “Friend’s Letter,” “Daughter’s Color,” “Fear,” “Dear Social Network,” “Terrified People,” “Individuals like Me,” “I-Given Birth by an Era”, and “Holi.”
Throughout the collection, Sharma vividly portrays his attachment and profound love for his home country, Nepal, from where he has migrated. Poems such as ‘Country inside Me’, ‘People Who Beg for Vote’, Eyes, ‘ In Search of Country’, and ‘Love Taught by Country’ poignantly convey the notion that migrants do not completely leave their country behind, as commonly believed. Instead, Sharma argues that they carry the entirety of their country in their hearts, using symbols to illustrate how even a mound of soil in a foreign land can remind them of the mountains in their homeland.
The sentiments for migrants are palpable throughout the collection, with Sharma’s poem ‘Individuals Like Me’ vividly depicting the dire situation of youths who have left their country in pursuit of an uncertain future in foreign lands. He portrays their pain, struggles, worries, and uncertainties in the name of hope.
Some of the poems in the collection delve into philosophical themes as Sharma searches for the meaning of life. In ‘Address’, he presents convincing reasons to argue that a person does not hold a fixed address. In ‘Shape’, he expresses his desire to take a form that does not require policing, modification, or undergoing pain or suffering inflicted by others to fit in. Another poem, ‘Light and Shade’, shares his hopeful perspective and lessons learned.
One of the representing verses from the poem ‘Heat of Fire’ reads:
“Those who made me walk on fire,
I have learnt from them,
Walking on fire means
Winning over darkness.”
To sum up, ‘Sambedanako Aakar’ is a thought-provoking collection of Nepali poems by Maheshwar Sharma that delves into themes of love for one’s home country, the struggles of migrants, and philosophical reflections on life. Sharma’s evocative language and deep emotions make this collection a compelling read for poetry enthusiasts.
Info
Book Title: Sambedanako Aakar
Author: Maheshwar Sharma
Language: Nepali
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: BN Pustak Sansar P.LTD, Kathmandu, Nepal
Published Year: 2097 BS (2022)
Price: NRs 200
Pages: 84
Saurav Kiran Shrestha lives in Sydney, Australia.
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