Book dossier
by Laxmi Prasad Devkota
One of the most admired works in Nepali literature, Muna madan is an episodic poem, a short epic narrative by the Nepalese poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota. Just before his death in 1959, the poet made his famous statement, "It's alright if all of my works are burned, except for Muna Madan." It describes the life of a man who has to leave his family and wife and go to Tibet to make money so that he can pay his family's debt. His dear wife Muna urges him to stay and tells him wealth means nothing but satisfaction of soul is everything but he leaves anyway. While returning he becomes sick on the way. His friends( of highers castes/race) leave him on the road to die. But he survives after a kind Tibetan helps him. The lesson the poet gives here is that greatness of a man doesn't come from which race he is born into but his actions and kindness of heart. When he returns home, he discovers a heartbreaking truth that he cannot bear. The expression of the grief and heartbreak is truly heart rending and one cannot help reading the verses over and over. Overall, it's a great read.
Himalayan Voices
Michael James Hutt
