Kathmandu: Eminent poet Dr. Nava Raj Lamsal’s fourth epic, ‘Kalpa’, was released today at a program organized by Shikha Books in the capital. The event was graced by Nepali Congress (NC) general secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, lawmakers Bidhya Bhattarai, Sudan Kirati, and Manish Jha, alongside literary journalist Raj Kumar Baniya, who jointly launched the epic.
According to National News Agency Nepal, general secretary Thapa remarked that poet Lamsal has undertaken a creative competition with himself in the epic, highlighting its incorporation of multi-dimensional themes such as history, religion, culture, and humanity. He committed to fostering debate and interaction about ‘Kalpa’ within the library established at the NC central office, emphasizing how the epic reflects the interrelations among people, nature, and culture.
Thapa further elaborated that ‘Kalpa’, being one of the six organs of the Veda, elucidates the truth regarding the lack of real knowledge offered to present-day students despite their heavy academic burdens. He expressed his confidence that this literary work would inspire societal improvements during a time when social ideals are waning and originality is eroding.
Lawmaker Kirati appealed to Dr. Lamsal to write an epic on the cultures of Chepang, Bankariya, and Raute. Meanwhile, lawmaker Jha noted that the epic was launched in such a manner as to provide lessons amidst the ongoing ruination of culture and nature due to greed. He encouraged discussions on the freedom of thought amidst current debates surrounding freedom of expression.
The epic ‘Kalpa’ introduces new noble thoughts and presents in-depth insights into the country’s religion and culture. Dr. Lamsal, whose previous works include the epics ‘Karna’, ‘Dhara’, and ‘Agni’-the latter of which earned him the prestigious Madan Puruskar-expressed a sense of exaltation upon the release of his latest literary contribution.