The premises of Nepal Academy was decorated with big flexes that showcased a total of nine variations of Nepal scripts: Ranjana, Bhujinmol, Kunmol, Kwanmol, Golmol, Pachumol, Hinmol, Litumol and Prachalit. Following the trail of the scripts, people were led into the event— the 3rd Nepal Bhasa Literature Festival. A small group of the audience listened intently to guest speakers passionately talking about the need for engagement in Nepal Bhasa to make the literature accessible to a wider audience.

On the periphery of the amphitheatre, some youth hurried to a young calligrapher to get their names signed with the artistic flair of Ranjana Lipi. While some gathered around the stalls to get their hands on the latest Nepal Bhasa literature, many seemed to be unable to keep away from the gastronomic Newar flavour that filled the atmosphere. A dozen were already in line to get hot baras and yomaris.

Although not as vibrant as the recent Nepal Literature Festival in Janakpur, the small audience that gathered to celebrate Nepal Bhasa Literature Festival looked enthused. Cheers of handclaps reverberated through the amphitheatre every now and then. Many in the audience munched baras as they watched the inauguration program of six Nepal Bhasa books of prominent Nepal Bhasa writers.

The history of Nepal Bhasa literature is believed to be more than 600 years old even though the literature festival is relatively young. However, in recent years many are at unease as a lot of young Newars don’t speak in the tongue. And this was the very undertaking of the Nepal Bhasa Literature Festival organised by Nepalbhasa Times Daily—to celebrate Nepal Bhasa to encourage people to use the language to produce works of literature.

Speaking at the event, Mayor of Kirtipur Ramesh Maharjan said to the small gathering that the festival is an important initiative to encourage the young to acknowledge the literature. However, he also addressed that Nepal Bhasa literature will not be powerful, if the young cannot understand the language. 

However, the festival didn’t see much youth participation. The audience was filled with veterans and millennials.

“We wanted more youths to come to the programme to encourage them to do work that can contribute to our culture. That has always been the goal,” said Suresh Kiran Manandhar, one of the organisers. “But this year, actually the traction of youth is better than before. And tomorrow we will see more youth in the programme as its a Saturday.”

The event also featured ghazal and poetry recitation and discussions on the revival of Nepal scripts. The second day of the event will see a conversation around the journey of the veteran Nepal Bhasa litterateur Mathura Sayami, followed by a discussion programme on the development of Nepal Bhasa Literature. The festival will also see musical and caricature stage performances in Nepal Bhasa.

“The Nepal Bhasa Literature Festival is an initiative to bring together Nepal Bhasa writers, poets, litterateurs to strengthen Nepal Bhasa literature,” said Laxmi Mali, chief of mother language literature at Nepal Academy. “The idea is to make this a platform where writers can exhibit their works and meet people and distributors for future networking.”