ASEAN and Asia Literary Conference (Phuket, April 22-26, 2015)

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, Pakistan, Thailand, Myanmar, Taiwan, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, among others. The conference will go on for five days, and end on April 26.

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चराहरुको जुलुस

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...

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During the prayer to God I said, ‘I have nothing to offer but my dreams.’ God was not assured. Hundreds of devotees queue up everyday at least with a basket of flowers, a few incense sticks, and a coin or two. I saw no reason why God should be unhappy with me, and with them all. To God, I said again, ‘I have nothing to offer but my faith.’

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