Poet Nibha Shah is the author of three poetry anthologies, including the popular chapbook, Mansara. Delving into themes such as gender inequality and class oppression, Shah writes poetry, as she puts it, to give voice to the marginalised. Currently working on her first novel, in this interview with The Post’s Samikshya Bhattarai, Shah talks about her love for literature and about women authors in Nepali literature. Excerpts:

How did you first start reading and writing?

I used to write from a very young age. I remember one my poems that I written as a child was published in a newspaper, which encouraged me to write more. However, due to the lack of support and various other circumstances, I didn’t write for long while. But, when I went to India for studies, I had access to a lot of books and that inspired me to write. Since then, I have been continuously writing about the issues of the marginalised.

Your poems are mostly women-centric. Is that deliberate or just spontaneous?

One of the reasons that I write women-centric poems is certainly because I am a woman and have faced various forms of discriminations myself; but that’s not the only reason. Women in our society are still treated as second-class citizens. I love to write about the people whose voice is never heard and who are the victims of oppression; and women certainly fall in this category.

Where do you place women authors in Nepal’s literary scene today? Or is literature gender neutral?

No, it is definitely true that women are not seen as equal to men, even today, and in not just literature but almost all professions and aspects of life. In literature, I feel, readers still do not take work by women authors as seriously as they take the same work done by male counterparts. Also, the exposure that female literary figures get in comparison to the men is negligible; we need to work ten times as hard to make the same gains.

What do you think should be done to make the literary scene more inclusive?

Women have been systematically put down for thousands of years and it will take concerted efforts to put us back on equal footing, particularly in a still patriarchal society like Nepal. While it is good to see young women poets emerging and introducing new and bold themes through their poetry, there still is a long way to go.

What books do you recommend to friends or readers?

You can only understand a problem if you know its roots. So, I think everyone needs to read the books about political systems—Marxism, French Revolution and others—to understand the political system and how people have been oppressed since antiquity. Even though many readers do not like politics, it is a very important part of any social change. So, I would recommend everyone, especially women, to read books concerning politics. I would also advise women to read the books by Lenin, Rosa Luxemburg and also the book Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir. And among Nepali authors, I think all women should read the book Parkhal Bhitra ra Bhaira by Parijat.

What is good writing for you?

I strongly believe that books should be in touch with reality and society. So, for me, a book that talks about the society and its problems is a good book. I think good writing is relatable and is easy for the reader to place themselves in.

What projects currently occupy you?

I am currently working on a novel, as well as a poetry collection. The subject of my novel is bondage labour, the effects of which are still very visible in Nepal. I am writing about this subject because I feel it has not received the attention that it deserves.