Alternative Voice

केशव सिग्देल उन्नाईस वर्षदेखि म बसिरहेको यो कोठा किन हो मलाई आज अनौठो लागिरहेछ । अस्ति अस्तिका विहानहरुमा अलार्म घण्टी बजिरहन्थ्यो म कोल्टो फेरेर सुतिरहन्थें जब समय घर्किसक्थ्यो काममा निस्कने हतारोमा सिङ्गै कोठा एउटा भित्तो बन्थ्यो भित्तो एउटा घडी बनेर झुण्डिन्थ्यो र त्यो घडी अत्तालिएको आफ्नै छाती हुन्थ्यो । हिजोआज, मलाई कतै जानु छैन सकिहाल्नु पर्ने जरुरी कुनै काम छैन चिया खानुभो भन्दै सोध्न आइपुग्ने छिमेकी पनि गेटमा प्रवेश निषेधको सूचना टाँसेर आँफैलाई घरमा थुनिबसेका छन् आजकाल घडीमा अलार्म लगाउन छोडिदिएको छु तैपनि सुईंको टिकटिक शहरको कोलहाल जस्तो भएर कोठमा गुन्जिरहन्छ । विहान उठेर बाथरुममा छिर्छु सावर ह्याण्डलबाट तपतप पानी चुहिरहेछ छचल्किएका थोपाका छिर्काले छोइएपछि हतमा एकाएक ससाना काँडा उम्रिन्छन् ति थोपाहरुले मनको तलाउमा निरन्तर तरङ्ग बनाइरहन्छन् म हात धुन साबुन पानी लगाउँछु गाजको आकाशमा फोका जस्ता ससाना तारा उदाउँछन् भेन्टिलेशनबाट छिरेको घामले ति फोकामा ससाना इन्द्रेणी पोतिदिन्छ  ढोकाको कापबाट कमिलाको एउटा लर्को मैले थाहा नपाएको ठाउँसम्मको या...

केशव सिग्देल कीर्तिपुरको डाँडामा उभिएको छु म यतिबेला र जिब्रो थुतिएको भैरवको थान अघिल्तिरबाट म खोजिरहेछु शक्तिको नाभीस्थान । देउता पनि मूक बसेको यो अग्लो ठाँऊबाट विवश भएर म हेरिरहेछु कंक्रिटको जङ्गलभित्र ढल्दै गरेको न्याय र जीवहरुका खुम्चिँदै गएका पाइलाहरु अब यहाँबाट देखिन्छ उही पुरानो, जर्जर, दरबार जस्तो गुफा मात्र । शाक्तिको उन्मादमा एउटा बुढो सिंह आफूलाई त्यो दरबारको राजा घोषित गर्छ र आफ्नो भोक तृप्तीका लागि हरेक दिन आफ्नै वस्तीका जीवहरुलाई एक एक गरी खाने कानून बनाउँछ । भय र सन्तापमा परेका जीवहरु बिरोधमा बोल्न सकेका छैनन् । दम्भको कलिङ्ग ठड्याएर त्यस गुफाभित्र सबै जीवका आवाज थुत्ने प्रपन्च गरिरहेछन् त्यो बुढो सिंह र केही थान छट्टु स्यालहरु । देबढोका पश्चिमको गुम्बामा डम्फुको आवाज खुब चर्को गरि बजिरहेछ, सायद गुम्बाका भिक्षुहरु निमुखा मृग र चराका हाडखोर देखेर अत्तालिएका छन् । गुफाको स्वघोषित राजालाई थाहा नहुन सक्छ बालकथाका खरायो मन्दिरको खापामा राखिएको तरवार झिकेर देव पुखूमा पखालिरहेछ हारेको युद्धका खाटाहरु । विवेक वर्जित गरिएको शहरमा फेरी बिरोधक...

Nepali Poem by Keshab Sigdel (जुम्लाको सम्झनामा) गाउँको सिमानामा बसेर मालचरीहरु कुन देशको धुन भरिरहेछन् फर्केर फेरी आउँछन् कि आउँदैनन् यि पग्लिगएका उराठलाग्दा हिमालहरु सम्झिएर बगिगएको कर्णालीको विरहले ब्युँझिएर । तर फर्कि आएनन् बग्दै झरेका नदीका गीतहरु न आए मानिसहरु भेट्नलाई छोडिगएका आफ्ना प्रितहरु । बेलाबेला सम्झना लिई आउन सकुन् भनेर हुलाक घर बन्यो, फोनका तारहरु जोडिए फर्किन सकुन् आफन्तीहरु भनेर भिर छिचोल्दै बाटाहरु खनिए हिँड्ने बटुवाहरु सायद उतै कतै छुटि गए आएनन् सम्झिएको खबर दिने बाडुली सम्म पनि । चराहरु अहिले गाउँको सिमानामा पुगेर पर पर हेरिरहेछन्  उड्नलाई हो या छोड्नलाई यो गाउँ हेर्दाहेर्दै उनीहरु बसेको रुखको डाली हल्लिन्छ त्यतिन्जेल, पखेँटा फट्फटाउँदै मालचरीहरु गइसक्छन् चराहरु गएपछि यस्तो लाग्छ रित्तो गाउँको त्यो आकाश नभैदिए नै जाती हुन्थ्यो ।

Print Edition SATURDAY, 05 JANUARY 2013  (Bangladesh) AUTHOR / SOURCE: HIRON CHOWDHURY Weblink of the newspaper:  http://www.theindependentbd.com/index.php?   option=com_content&view=article&id=149344:poems-by-two-young-nepali-poets&catid=123:art-culture&Itemid=217  Poetry in Nepal is changing fast keeping link with its golden tradition. We are publishing here some poems by two Nepali poets, Keshab Sigdel and Prakash Subedi, belonging to the new generation. They recently took part in the third Darianagar International Poetry Fair held in Dhaka and Darianagar from 28 to 31 December 2012 along with a Peace Procession of Poetry from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar, a unique event in the colourful poetic activities of Bangladesh.  About two hundred poets from SAARC and beyond attended the fair. Keshab Sigdel is a poet/creative writer based in Kathmandu writing both in English and Nepali languages.  He works at Tribhuvan University, Kathmand...

Six Strings (a joint anthology of English poems by Keshab Sigdel, Prakash Subedi, Bal Bahadur Thapa, Hem Raj Kafle, Sarita Bhattarai, and Saraswoti Lamichhane) Publisher:  Society of Nepali Writers in English, Kathmandu Year:  2011   Book   Review                                          By   Padma Devkota Time constraints have allowed me to go quickly through only half a book that deserves to be read completely. This is not a denial to read the remaining other half.  Six Strings , a compilation of the poetry by six friends who seek numerical balance of representation in the book (six times ten poems each) rather than gender balance (two women and four men), nevertheless seeks judgment of the reader in terms of performance rather than in terms of the identity of the writer. And, it is not easy to identify the poets in...

Book Review by Mahesh Poudyal                                                                                      SEP 30 - A group of six young experimentalists associated with the Society of Nepali Writers in English recently launched Six Strings—a joint anthology of poems that reveal that poetry can address things seldom thought of. Brief yet brilliant, the poems are about relations between men and women and vice versa, humans and the city, and changes forced upon lives by other lives. Bal Bahadur Thapa has honestly asserted human realities of the present—even those that pertain to issues often considered ‘private’. Honesty worthy of a true poet, his themes are deeply philosophical and address some of the subtle issues associated with the psycho-sexual rea...

Keshab Sigdel's Samaya Bighatan reviewed by Bharat Rodan Saud पुस्तक समीक्षा केशव सिग्देलको  समय विघटनः   यथार्थको विसङ्गतीपूर्ण परिबोध प्रस्तुतीः भरतरोदन साउद राष्ट्रिय राजनीतिक घटना, परिस्थिति र जनजीवनका आलम्बनमा पाश्चात्य काव्य परम्पराका प्रभावबाट अस्तित्ववोध, विसङ्गत चेतना, समाजवादी दृष्टिकोण, प्रयोगशीलताजस्ता प्रवृत्तिहरm नेपाली कविताले वरण गरेको छ । यी प्रवृत्तिहरmबाट मात्र नेपाली कविताको विषय क्षेत्र फैलिएको नभई पछिल्लो समयमा उत्तरआधुनिकताका नाममा फैलिएका विभिन्न मोडलहरmका आधारमा पनि कविता लेखिने प्रचलन बढ्दो छ । अर्कातिर माओवादी जनयुद्धले छोडेको राजनीतिक तथा सामाजिक सांस्कृतिक प्रभाव पनि नेपाली कवितामा प्रतिबिम्बित भएको छ । यिनै समसामयिक विषयवस्तुका कविता लेख्ने सशक्त कविका रmपमा आफ्नो परिचय बनाउँदै क्रियाशील स्रष्टा हुन्— केशव सिग्देल । उनका कविताले विषयवस्तुगत वैविध्यका साथ सामयिक चेतनालाई प्रभावकारी रmपमा सम्प्रेषण गरेका छन् ।        समय—विघटन सिग्देलको हालसम्म प्रकाशित एउटा मात्र कवितासङ्ग्रह हो । यसमा उनले मूलतः विसङ्गतीबोधी ...

Review of  Keshab Sigdel's  Samaya Bighatan  (Time Under Dissolution, A Collection of Nepali Poems)  Reviewer: Ishwori Gnyawali Published in Nepal (Year 8, Issue 45) पुस्तक समीक्षा ईश्वरी ज्ञवाली (नेपाल, वर्ष ८, अङ्क ४५/ असार १५, २०६५) Image of the page on which the review appears अकविताहरुको बाढी आइरहेको बेला सुन्दर कविताका बान्की पस्किएर देखापरेका छन्, केशव सिग्देल। कानुनका ज्ञाता सिग्देलका मनका भावनाहरु पोखिएका ३० थान कविताहरुको सङ्ग्रह हो— समय विघटन । उनका कविता जीवनको समग्र यथार्थतालाई छुन औधि सफल छन्। भावानात्मक तरङ्गका अतिरिक्त जीवनमूलय र सौन्दर्यचेतका दृष्टिले उनका कविता साँच्चै सुन्दर छन्। २०५४ देखि ०६२ सालसम्म लेखिएका उनका कविता अकविताका विरुद्ध दिएका चुनौती जस्ता लाग्छन्।            ...बारुद बोक्ने ती नवयौवनाभन्दा           बारुद बोक्न नखोज्ने युवतीहरु           मलाई बढी संशययुक्त लागिरहेछन्           जो लगातार मातृत्वको याचना गरेर...

Photo courtesy: The Daily Star (Bangladesh) In the picture, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina poses with litterateurs of eight South Asian  countries at the inaugural ceremony of SAARC Literary Festival Dhaka 2014 in the capital's National Museum auditorium on 27 Feb. 2014. She inaugurated the two-day event as the chief guest. 

Poet Keshab Sigdel reciting his poem Peace Poetry Recitation at Russian Cultural Center in Kathmandu. The event organized by Nepal Kalasahitya Dot Com Foundation brought together celebrated poets from Nepal. 

In the picture, rights activists include Charan Prasai, Sushil Pyakurel, Dinesh Tripathi and Keshab Sigdel among others Human Rights activists and victims of armed conflict demonstrate in front of Singha Darbar (government's chief secretariat) in Kathmandu demanding the repealing of Truth and Reconciliation Bill which does not comply Supreme Court's instructions and the international standards of human rights! April 10, 2014. 

Poet Keshab Sigdel reciting his poem during the event Reading poetry at 12th edition of POEMANDU (a special poetry reading session) organized by BP Koirala Nepal-India Foundation and Indian Embassy in Kathmandu at Nepal-Bharat Library. 26 February 2014.

A photo from literary gathering of Nov 20, 2013 Society of Nepali Writers in English (NWEN) organizes regular poetry reading sessions in Kathmandu. It publishes a biannual literary journal  Of Nepalese Clay. 

Police arrests several rights activists on May 23, 2013 from South gate Singha Darbar as they were planning a demonstration urging for the rule of law. In the picture,  rights activist and poet  Keshab Sigdel chants slogans to pressurize government to ensure rule of law amidst security hurdles. 

Civil Society members (including rights activists, lawyers, journalists, members of professional organizations) organize a sit-in demonstration in front of UCPN-Maoist of office in Paris Danda in Kathmandu demanding transitional justice mechanisms. Similar sit-ins were staged in front of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML offices also. (May 8, 2013)

In October 2013 Karla Ptáček and her team organized a literary-cultural festival in Britain under a project  "The Great And The Small 2013" trying to explore the interconnectedness that stretches between Lyme Regis Museum in Dorset and Annapurna in the Himalayas of Nepal. And here appears a short video clip of the interview recorded in Kathmandu during the team's research mission! Click here to see the VIDEO

Presenting a paper during a International Sufi Festival 2013 in Jaipur, India. The Festival was organized by Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature.  (October 2013)

Presenting a paper during a International Literary Festival March 2013 in Agra, India. The Festival was organized by Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature.

Keshab Sigdel (in the standing position with the microphone)  along with poet Nurul Huda (Bangladesh) poet Prakash Subedi (Nepal), poet Uttam Das (India) briefing the literary activities in Nepal during  Darianagar International Poetry Festival 28-31 December 2012  at the conference hall of bdnews24.com, Dhaka. 

AMRITSAR, PUNJAB (INDIA) October 2012: Keshab Sigdel  (in the middle)  along with Prof. Nurul Huda (Bangladesh) and  Prof. Gallelle Sumanasiri (Srilanka)  at an academic session  of International Sufi Festival organized jointly by FOSWAL and Punjab Tourism Board on 20-21 October 2012

LUCKNOW March 2012: Poet Keshab Sigdel reciting his poem   entitled "Metamorphosis" during SAARC Literary Festival 2012  organized by Foundation of SAARC Writers and  Literature. Click here to see the VIDEO

Civil Society Members and Human Rights Activists in front of   Constituent Assembly Building, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu.  Participating in the sitting are HR activists Charan Prasai,   Dinesh Tripathi,  Keshab Sigdel, Prof. Kapil Shrestha,   Harihar Birahi among others. Coverage in The Himalayan Times Rights activists detained HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE KATHMANDU: Police arrested and released at least 45 human rights activists from the entrance of Singha Durbar while protesting the government’s bid to introduce blanket amnesty provision in bills on Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission on Disappeared. They were arrested and detained on the charge of violating the prohibitory zone order at 1:30 pm and released on 4:30 pm. The right activists including Dr Sundar Mani Dixit, Charan Prasai, Dr Gopal Shiwakoti, Pradip Pokhrel, Govinda Sharma Bandi, Bhawani Kharel, Baburam Giri, Kapil Shrestha, Bhakta BK, Krishna Subedi, Kesh...

Amnesty International Delegation comprising of Chair Hem Khadka, Vice Chair Keshab Sigdel, Advisor Nutan Thapaliya, Former Chair Charan Prasai, Director Rameshwar Nepal and other officials posing for a group photo after the lobby meeting with the Rt. Honourable President of Nepal Dr. Ram Baran Yadav at his office in Kathmandu.

Amnesty International Delegation comprising of Chair Hem Khadka, Vice Chair Keshab Sigdel, Advisor Lokesh Dhakal  Director Rameshwar Nepal and other officials posing for a group photo after the lobby meeting with the Rt. Honourable Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly of Nepal Mr. Subash Newang at his office in Singha Durbar.

Keshab Sigdel from Amnesty International Nepal Section addressing a meeting of LGBT Rights activist in Stockholm, Sweden. The event was organized by LGBT rights Working Group of AI Sweden. Mr. Sigdel highlighted the situation of LGBT rights movement in South Asia and particularly in Nepal. 

The new episode of SAARC Literary Festival convened in Taj City of Agra on 13-16 February 2015. The event was attended by scholars, poets, writer and cultural artists from eight SAARC countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The theme of this year's literary festival was Readdressing Historical Traumas. The four day festival included academic sessions along with poetry readings and cultural shows. Renowned scholars Prof. Ashis Nandy, Prof. Alok Bhalla, Prof Abhi Subedi chaired various academic sessions while Asst. Professor of Tribhuvan University Mr. Keshab Sigdel presented a paper on " Initiating Dialogues, Breaking Silences: Strategies for Redressing Historical Traumas." Meghraj Adhikari, Sabita Dahal, Sandhya Pahari, Geeta Karki and Bhupeen were other among other Nepali delegates. 

Photo credit: Sudhir Khobi South Asia Poetry Festival for Peace was held in Kathmandu on Feb 21-22 in Kathmandu. The first reading took place at Bansantapur Durbar Square while the second day event took place at Patan Durbar Square. It is a literary festival that celebrates the joy and the power of poetry! It provides a platform for the expression of thoughts and ideas and celebrates diversity. Poets from South Asian countries Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Pakistan attended the festival. PARTICIPATING POETS: Abhi Subedi ,  Abhay K. Kumar (India), Bhaichung Tsichudarpa (Sikkim), Chandrabir Tumbapo ,  Chirag Bangdel , Ganesh Bahadur Gurung, Ikram Basra (Pakistan),  Keshab Sigdel , Krishnaraj Sarbahari, Mrittika Chakma (Bangladesh), Mangalmit Lepcha (Sikkim), Manohar Shetthy (India),  Murari Sigdel , Nina Rai (Darjeeling), Padam Kumar Rai,  Raja Puniani  (India), Sangmu Lepcha (Kaliimpong), Sanja Kumari Danuwar, Shanti Chaudhari, Shyam Shekhar Jh...

A delegation of Nepali writers and poets visited Myanmar and attended various literary events in Rangoon, Mandalay and Lokhu from 29 March to 5 April 2015 on the invitation of All Myanmar Gorkha Desiya Dharmik Sangh, the only eligible organization of the Nepali community to organize public events in Myanmar. The opening poetry reading event was hosted by the Nepali Embassy at Rangoon. Nepali Embassy and Society of Non Residential Nepalese organized a honorary farewell reception on the last day of the visit. Member of Nepali delegation included poet Momila Joshi, Usha Serchan, Keshab Sigdel, Krishna Prasai, LB Chhetri, Dhanraj Regmi, Rajeshwar Karki, RM Dangol, Phulman Bal,and Sundar Basnet.

The ASEAN and Asian Conference on Literature and Culture started in Phuket, Thailand, from April 22. Representing Nepal in the conference are poets Keshab Sigdel and Prakash Subedi. The conference is organised by the Department of Cultural Promotion, the Ministry of Culture (Thailand), with support from the Phuket Municipal Office and Phuket Rajabhat University. The convention was inaugurated by Vira Rojpojchanarat, the Thai minister of culture.Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Rojpojchanarat said that in a world that seems to be getting divided more and more along political, religious, ethnic and linguistic lines, culture and literature could be the means to unite all the people. The opening session of the convention saw renowned Thai authors Prabhassorn Sevikul and Sukanya Chonlasuek talking about the importance of organising regional level conferences on literature and culture.Participants in the conference include poets and writers from countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, P...

Chancellor at the Nepal Academy of Music and Drama, Sarubhakta,  honouring  poet and essayist Keshab Sigdel with a cash prize  of Rs 11,000 amid a   special  function   in the Capital  on Thursday, June 24, 2015 KATHMANDU:  Poet and essayist Keshab Sigdel has been honored with a literary award 'NLG Kalashree Sirjana Puraskar' for 2015.  Chancellor at the Nepal Academy of Music and Drama, Sarubhakta, handed over the award with a cash prize of Rs 11,000 amid a special function in the Capital on June 24, 2015. Nepali Kalasahitya Dot Com Foundation honoured Sigdel for his essay ‘Euta Bahulako Diary’ (Diary of a Lunatic), published in the annual Kalashree Sahitya literary magazine this year. The magazine awards a writer every year with the Puraskar for an excellent literary creation.

Johanna Carvajal (Colombia) Nepali translation by : Keshab Sigdel जोहोना कार्भाजल अनुवादः केशव सिग्देल प्रभातमा आगो पुनर्जीवित हुन्छ  । समय वित्दै जान्छ उषाले मेरो गाला सुम्सुम्याउँछ अनि म देख्छु उघ्रिन लागेको प्रभात । प्रभातमा कुनै वेदना छैन विदाईको हात नहल्लाई रात्री विलोप हुन्छ आखाँ खुल्दा त्यसका नानीहरु हिरा जस्तो चम्कन्छन् त्यसमा ठोक्किने घामको उज्यालोले । मुटुमा धड्किन्छ आघात परेको रगतको लय विहानीमा गौंथलीको परेड लगाउँछन् निलो गगनमा उडान भर्छन् र आफ्नो चालबाट शुद्धिकरण गर्छन् पुनर्जन्मको पवित्रता उनीहरु फूलबाट पिउँछन् विलाउनै लागेको शितको थोपा विहानीको गीतले मात्रै दिनेछ मानिसको पाइतलालाई ईश्वरको अनन्त गहिराई नाप्ने शक्ति ।