Buddhisagar is a prominent name in modern Nepali literature. His first novel Karnali Blues was a big hit, making him a well-known writer among the Nepali readers. The book is well-written, in a short and simple way, making readers fall in love with its story-line and characters.
Karnali Blues
Karnali Blues depicts a father-son relationship where the narration is through the son’s eyes; on how he sees his father throughout his entire life. The story starts with the narrator remembering his younger days as he was rushing towards hospital to see his father, who is lying on a deathbed.
The author has described the story from an eye of a small boy to whom his father is no less than a superman. And as the story progresses, from the eyes of an adolescent boy who realizes how his father was a simple man yet never failed to fulfill all his needs. The book contains 11 chapters. It’s an account of the 11 days he spends with his father in the hospital, recalls memories of his father.
And with the narrator, readers swim through the rivers, become a part of his mischievous things, and get to meet different personalities. The family goes through many ups and downs as they move from a small village of Katara to Kalilot.
There are also other interesting characters like Bhagiram, Chandre, and Mamata didi among others. All have their unique stories to tell and lessons to teach. Readers see the majestic nature of far west Nepal. But, along with the beauty of nature, the author also shows the dark side of the rural village.
The alluring and emotional stories make you cry, laugh out aloud, reminisce about your own childhood and, above all, makes you think about your own father and his love or sacrifices. No matter how mischievous he gets, no matter how many problems he creates, his father remains there to protect him, always standing as high as the mountains.
Karnali Blues is no extraordinary story in itself. However, Buddhisagar’s writing skill is so special that it takes the reader(s) through different phases of the story; making it extraordinary. The writer, who was born and brought up in Karnali region, has used him all his real-life experiences to describe the settings, the characters, and the plot.
Also, the use of native language in places further establishes an organic relationship between the readers and the book. For me, this book is my all-time favorite and I frequently recommend it to others. Reading the book makes me really nostalgic; I start wandering in my childhood memories and I feel more grateful towards my father.
We find many poems and stories about the pain and love of mothers but rarely do we find words written in favor of the unflinchingly, strong fathers. And this book is definitely one for the fathers.
I highly recommended this book for all of you to read. 🙂 P.S. – The book will soon get published in the English language too.
Name of the Book: Karnali Blues
Author: Buddhisagar
Genre: Fiction
My Ratings: 5/5
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