“Sima Roshi Acharya has presented 81 Nepali poems in her collection ‘Mangalgrahako Yatra,’ translated as ‘The Journey of Mars.’ This collection includes both short and long poems, with the majority being longer. Poems such as ‘Moment,’ ‘Shame,’ ‘Rain,’ ‘Two Colors,’ and ‘Three Pieces’ are in short form, while ‘Our Discussion,’ ‘Road,’ ‘Poem of Sex,’ ‘Pride,’ ‘Mother in a Care Home,’ and ‘Seismic Wave’ stand out as exceptionally long poems.”
Throughout the collection, Sima Roshi Acharya has delved into a diverse array of topics, ranging from the environment, science, and spirituality to war, peace, social issues, and justice. Her exploration extends from village life to city life, encompassing reflections on Covid-19 and celebrations of Harmony Day. Acharya seamlessly navigates the realms of dreams and reality, weaving her words across the landscapes of Nepal to Australia. Moreover, she takes readers on an imaginative journey from Earth to Mars and beyond the confines of the Universe. Acharya’s vivid imagination knows no bounds, capturing her thoughts and emotions in words. This expansiveness might be the reason why some of her poems appear abstract, experimental, and complex.
For example, the titled poem ‘The Journey of Mars’ is composed of 122 lines, making it one of her longest and most complex works. However, it carries a profound message and vision about human migration, their struggles, suffering, torment, loss, and hope, as well as the intersection of science and spirituality. In this poem, she envisions a settlement of human beings on the red soil of Mars. Despite all the scientific advancements and human motivations for settling on Mars, she raises thought-provoking questions in her lines:
“Today, I can’t express all those feelings of sorrow and joy!
I’ve come to realize that I can’t breathe Earth’s air,
And you also couldn’t breathe the air with the atoms that are embedded in the Earth.
For what purpose did all of this happen?
And today, I can’t speak about the End of All,
Nor can you ignore your infinite desires and ambitions.
It’s because you are so far away on Mars”
Poems such as ‘Sumnima from Benilong,’ ‘Kayara – My Mother,’ ‘This Profound Identity as a Woman,’ ‘Sanu, You Couldn’t Be a Widow,’ ‘Poem of Sex,’ ‘She, Gargi, and Helen,’ ‘Daughter of Nepal,’ ‘Love of a Mother,’ ‘Women,’ and others are illuminated by her deep awareness of womanhood, women’s dignity, and women’s empowerment.
Sima Roshi is not only a poet but also a storyteller. She has previously published a story collection titled ‘Yek Arko Sapana’ and a poetry collection named ‘AkcharkaDhadkanharu’ in Nepal nearly 20 years ago. Currently residing in Sydney, she actively contributes to Nepali literature by serving as the President of NAI Academy in Australia. Readers can eagerly anticipate her forthcoming creative endeavours, whether in prose or verse.
Book Title: Mangalgrahako Yatra [English Translated Title:The Journey of Mars’]
Author: Sima Roshi Acharya
Language: Nepali
Genre: Poem Collection
Publisher: Purnaprakash Nepal Yatri Study and Research Centre, Kathmandu
Publised Year: 2021 AD
Price: AUD $10, NRs 400
Press: AbritiPress, Kathmandu
Pages: 174
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