Every morning after taking a stroll around his neighbourhood in Shantinagar, 78-year-old Ram Dayal Rakesh makes it his business to read the day’s newspapers. A curious person, Rakesh makes sure he reads almost everything published in the newspapers—from cultural, social to political stories.

Growing up, Rakesh always held writing in high regard as he could see how the permanence of written words kept the world thriving.

“I would have just written all my life, but I also had to make a living, so I rowed two boats for quite a long time. And it has worked for the best. My professional experiences have also shaped me as a writer and who I am today,” says a smiling Rakesh.

Although the general public might not be familiar with Rakesh’s name, he is well respected by those interested in Nepal’s cultures, particularly Maithili folk culture and traditions. He is one of the foremost writers of Mithila culture, and his writings have represented Nepal even on international platforms.

Rakesh, originally from Sarlahi, writes in four languages—Maithili, Nepali, Hindi, and English and has penned poems, haikus, novels, travelogues, literary critiques, opinion pieces, essays, academic writings, and books. His writings and in-depth knowledge of culture have earned him a reputation as a cultural expert.

Apart from being a writer, Rakesh has had a colourful interdisciplinary career in different capacities at various institutions like the Tribhuvan University, Ministry of Education, National Human Rights Commission Nepal, Royal Nepal Academy, Nepal Election Commission, and Pen International Chapter.

In this conversation with the Post’s Srizu Bajracharya, Rakesh talks about his passion and whims as a culture writer, his learnings from life, and his new book, ‘Salhesh & Other Village Deities.’ Excerpts:

How did your journey as a writer begin? Was being a writer the ultimate dream?

I have always been fascinated by writing, and as a child, I remember even when I read books, I always dreamed of leaving some words of my own behind. The permanence of words and its ability to document moments and leave footprints of time and stories of the world made me think about being a writer. I think what a writer achieves with their writings is priceless. But for some reason, I always knew that alone couldn’t be my pursuit because life, as you know, is hard.

So as a student, my ultimate dream was to become a professor. It’s a respectable profession, one where you can share so much of your knowledge and spend time investing in your studies.

But what made you start writing about culture?

A lot has to do with my upbringing in Sarlahi’s rich Maithil culture. I grew up listening to folk stories and watching folk dances, music, art, and rituals. And those things left a deep impression.

As a child, I would roam around neighbourhoods to watch cultural acts without telling my family and sometimes late at night. You might not have heard about traditions such as Jhijhiya, Sama Chakewa, Jat Jatin, Salhesh, Dina Bhadri, which were very popular and integral parts of our community when I was growing up. And because it was a time before digital media and technology, these festivals had more value.

But these cultures were also only limited to our [the community people’s] knowledge. People across the country had little idea of the rich Maithil culture. And because these events were such an integral part of our lives, I found myself being drawn to write about these experiences. They are my roots. When I started writing, I didn't do it because I felt a certain sense of responsibility to write about them but out of my fondness for my culture and desire to share them with other people.

I have presented many papers about folk culture in national and international seminars and written many books about Nepal and Mithila. My first book was ‘Folk Culture of Nepal’, published in 1990. As I pursued this interest, I began to understand why our culture matters and that we need to discuss it more. During my tenure as a member of the department of culture in the Royal Nepal Academy (now Nepal Academy), I also organised many conferences and invited international and national scholars to talk about diverse cultures and experiences. I have always believed that this enables inclusivity and a more open mindset to accept our differences.

You have worked at various organisations in various capacities. Why did you feel the need to do so?

Yeah, I have a long list of where I have worked. I have worked as a teacher, election commissioner, and chief secretary at the Ministry of Education, where I also worked as the director for the Curriculum Development Center. The multitude of roles that I held in my professional life also exposed me to a wide range of subjects, which I explored in my writings. For example, during my stint at the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, I wrote many pieces about human rights and social issues.

You see, I have never liked limiting myself to one domain only. I like exploring and opening myself to opportunities. I think our exposure to experiences in life matures us and makes us more open to life. People should always look for ways to expand their horizons. Ultimately, that is what gives one more access and agency in life.

You are often quoted in articles and invited to speak at cultural events. Since so many seek your knowledge, do you make it a point to keep studying and stay on top of the latest cultural developments?

Definitely, I don’t want to be that person who speaks without knowing their facts. I know the impact of words and I never undermine their power. One wrong piece of information can turn things upside down. That is why I make it a point to keep myself updated, and whenever people approach me for information, I sit down to study and revise my facts. It’s an essential task that comes with great responsibility because the information I provide can get widely disseminated. Depending on our views [people who often get interviewed in the media] and knowledge, people build their outlook on things. And so, you can never take that for granted.

You write in four languages. Can we talk about how your ability to write in multiple languages has helped you as a writer?

Being able to write in four languages has helped me reach more readers. When it comes to creative pieces, I find it easier to write in Maithili. I use English and Nepali to write about topics that I feel are important to be disseminated to more people. I write about Mithila culture in English because I want non-Maithili speaking people to get to know about the culture. That is why I wrote ‘Salhesh & Other Village Deities’ in English.

I believe the presence of our culture in different languages is what will ensure their longevity.

I also don’t believe that writers need to write solely in their first language. Writing in different languages or publishing your work in different languages can also help one get wider recognition.

The best example I can give you on this is of Rabindranath Tagore’s works. He wrote in Bengali, but his works have been translated into multiple languages, and that made him an international literary figure. Having said that, it’s not just language but the skill to use it that determines the effect your works can have on people.

Let’s talk about your book ‘Salhesh & Other Village Deities’. What made you work on the book?

Today, many people know about Mithila culture, and many aspects of it have been written over the years in multiple languages. I chose to write about Salhesh because there is very little information about him and his legend, and whatever that has been written about him are all in Maithili and Nepali. For those who don’t know, Salhesh is one of the prominent deities in Madhesh, especially for the Dushadh community. He was the king of Mahisautha in Siraha and the guardian of the people.

I thought it would be nice to have his history documented in English so that more people learn about him. I wanted to internationalise the information I had.

You turned 78 this year. Do you sometimes think about retiring from writing?

Not really. There’s just so much I still want to write about. I am always itching to write about something. But of course, at my own pace and way.