A discussion of author Sharada Sharma’s latest novel, Kampa, took place in Pokhara on Saturday. The discussion was organised by Random Reader’s Society, the co-organisers of the recently-concluded Nepal Literature Festival, and saw author Sharma engage in a discussion with scholars and literary enthusiasts.

Speaking at the event, Sharma spoke about the genesis of the novel. “The fatal earthquake is still afresh in our memory. Commemorating the deceased one question would haunt me time and again: what is to happen of them, where would their souls be roaming, if they do at all. This curiosity made me turn back to religious texts, like Garud Purana, especially to the idea of immortality that these books delve into,” Sharma said, “which gnawed me so much that I had to write a novel myself to quench that curiosity.”

Author Sharma added, “The book constitutes of these ideas which are at once earthly, religious and fantastic, and I have tried to deal them based on the current societal discourses of Nepal after the quakes.”

Sharma further went on to discuss the craft of writing a novel and the criticisms ensuing its publication. “A writer should work a lot, write, rewrite, revise, and be mindful of the ideas one is going to present while the book is still in your hands. Once the work is released, it is public property, and it’s obvious that there will be both positive as well as negative views about it. I feel writers should not take the criticism personally and work harder to improve their craft.”

The discussion was part of the Random Readers’ Society’s monthly literary discussion.