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मयूर टाइम्स [Mayur Times]
Mayur Times is written in the backdrop of Nepal's protracted political conflict. The book revolves around Nepal's transitional crisis. The protagonists Parag and Lisara are both journalists.
231 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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January 10, 2019
मयूर जति सुन्दर भएपनि उसका खुट्टा कुरुप भएजस्तै नारायण वाग्लेको दोश्रो उपन्यास ‘मयूर टाइम्स’ को सुन्दरतालाई पनि केही तत्वहरुले घटाएका छन् । यो उपन्यासले तराई–मधेश मित्रताको उदाशरणीय नमूना प्रस्तुत गर्न सफल भएको छ, तर धेरै विषयलाई एउटै उपन्यास भित्र अटाउने धुनमा उपन्यासकारले समेटेका अरु विषयवस्तुलाई भने त्यत्तिको सशक्तताका साथ प्रस्तुत गर्न सकेका छैनन् ।
उपन्यासकी प्रमुख पात्र (र कथा वाचक) परागले काम गर्ने दैनिक पत्रिकाकै नामबाट लिइएको छ उपन्यासको शीर्षक । यो कथा बुद्धिमान र बहादुर परागको हो, र साथसाथै हो उनकी बालसखी र युवावस्थाकी सहकर्मी लिसारा पुनको पनि । संक्षेपमा भन्नुपर्दा यो उपन्यास यी दुई साथीले मिलेर मयूर नगर नामक काल्पनिक शहरमा सो पत्रिका चलाउने क्रममा भोग्नु परेका बाधा–अड्चन र उनीहरुले त्यसलाई गरेको सामनाको कथा हो । पहाड र तराईको दोसाँधमा पर्ने यस्तो काल्पनिक शहरको कल्पना आफैँमा रोमाञ्चक छ र निकै आदर्शवादी पनि । लेखकले यो बस्तीलाई पत्यारिलो तुल्याउन थुप्रै उपाय अपनाएका छन्, मयूरको मूर्तिदेखि तोरीबारी सम्मको वर्णन गरेर ।
उपन्यासको शुरुवातका परागले आफूलाई आइरहेको ज्यानमारा धम्कीको बारेमा भन्छे, छोटो छोटो वाक्यमा, अलि अल्छी लाग्दो गरी । तीन पृष्ठसम्म त यही एकनासे गन्थन तन्किन्छ, तर त्यसपछि भने दुई साथी बिचको चुस्त र छरितो संवादले उपन्यासलाई अर्कै रुप दिन्छ । वाग्लेको लेखनको मिठास भनेको रिपोर्टिङ शैलीको वर्णनहरुमा नभई जीवन्त र रसिला संवादहरुमा लुकेको छ । उपन्यासभरि नै यही नियम लागु हुन्छ ः संवादहरु बोलिएको स्थितिमा बेग्लै बहाव र चञ्चलता छ कथामा, अन्यथा घटनाक्रम झिँझोलाग्दो सूचना प्रदानमै सीमित रहन्छ । बीच बीचमा उनिएका छन् राज्य शासन व्यवस्था, तराई–मधेश द्वन्द्व र अपहरण पद्धतिका बारेमा निबन्धझैँ लाग्ने परिक्षेद । यो सबै व्याख्या फेरि एउटै वाक्यमा गएर टुङ्गिन्छ, जुन हाम्राी परागले दोहो¥याइ रहन्छिन्, ‘राज्य कमजोर भए यस्तै हुन्छ ।’ उपन्यासकारको लेखन शैलीको सबल पक्ष भनेको उनको सरलता हो – जो कोहीले पनि यो उपन्यास पढ्न र बुझ्न सक्छ । यस्तैगरी उपयुक्त सम्पादनले पनि उपन्यासका संवाद र घटनाक्रमलाई थप तिख्खर बनाइदिएको छ । तर यही तिख्खरता थपने क्रममा उपन्यासकार कहीँ त निकै ठाडो पनि भइदिएका छन् ।
यी कमजोरीहरुलाई बिर्सने हो भने उपन्यासमा थुप्रै प्रशंसनीय तत्व छन् । सर्वप्रथम त दुइृ महिला पात्रको सबल प्रयोग नै सह्रानीय छ । पराग यादव जस्ती आँटिली र दह्री पात्र शायदै कुनै नेपाली उपन्यासमा भेटिएला, र उसलाई मन पराउने थप कारण त के छ भने ऊ आफ्नो डर न लुकाउँछे न भन्न धकाउँछे । विगतमा र अहिले पनि धम्क्याइका, अपहरण गरिएका र मारिएका सम्पूर्ण पत्रकारको प्रतिनिधि बनेर ऊ उभिएकी छ । व्यवहारिक र आदर्शवादी चरित्रको लोभलाग्दो सम्मिश्रणका रुपमा उसलाई प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ । धेरै आम्दानी हुने बैँकको जागीर र अर्थहीन प्रेम जीवनबाट वाक्क भएर ऊ आइपुग्छे साथीलाई पत्रिका सञ्चालनमा सहयोग गर्न । परागकी यो साथी लिसारा पनि संघर्षशील युवती हो जो आइपरेको जिम्मेवारी पुरा गरेरै छोड्छे । पहाड र मधेशका यी दुईको पुर्नःमिलन पनि फेरि अघि बढ्छ उनीहरुको उदाहरणीय मित्रता – जस्तोसुकै कठोर मनलाई पनि पगाल्न सक्छ यो अनुपम बन्धनले ।
बेलाबेला चलचित्रको भागजस्तो लाग्ने तर प्रायः पत्यारिलो यो मित्रता पुस्तकको अन्त्यसम्म कायमै रहेको छ, बीचमा जेजस्ता बाधा आइपरे पनि – धम्की, अपहरण, अनिश्चितता । उनीहरुसँगै गाँसिएर आउँछन् अनेक प्रसङ्ग, जुन चाहीँ उपन्यासकारका रिपोर्टिङका हिस्सा झैँ लाग्छन् कहीलेकाहीँ ः कतारमा एक बाबुको मृत्यु, आम पाठकको राशीफलमाथिको विश्वास, गुराँसको बेमोसौमी फूल । यी सबै प्रसङ्गलाई समेट्ने लोभमा उपन्यासकारले हरेक विषयको सतह मात्र छुन भ्याएका छन् ।
तर लेखकले उपन्यासभरिमै मन लगाएर वर्णन गरेका र सबैभनदा सुन्दर भाग भनेको परागको बाल्यकाल नै हुन पुगेको छ । उसको शिक्षिकाको सारीका बुट्टा, उसको अबोधपन, उसले चित्र कोर्ने पुतली । यहाँ मिसाइएको मैथिली भाषा अति स्वाभाविक छ, र सुहाएको पनि छ । एकचोटि उसकी आमाले भन्छिन्, ‘जत तत नै दौड, ए भुनभुन बौआ ।’ आमाको माया प्रष्टै खुट्याउन सकिन्छ यो मातृभाषाको प्रयोगमा ।
आफ्नो राष्ट्रप्रति यस्तै ममता व्यक्त गर्छन् लेखकले पनि, नेपालका थुप्रै विसङ्गति प्रति चिन्ता गरेर ः तराई–मधेश समस्या, सामाजिक असुरक्षा, पत्रकारको जोखिम, भ्रष्टाचार, आतङ्क, आदि – सबै अत्यन्त सरल एवं पठनयोग्य शैलीमा । प्रशस्त सम्भावना र लेखन क्षमता त लेखकमा छँदैछ, आफूले छानेको विषयमा केन्द्रित भई यस्तै भाषामा प्रस्तुत गर्दै गए उनका रचनाहरु झनै प्रशंसित बन्दै जाने छन् ।
The male peacock, it is universally agreed, is a noteworthy creature. And equally noteworthy is journalist turned writer Narayan Wagle's new venture titled Mayur Times – quite literally, Peacock Times. But just as nothing can camouflage a peacock's unsightly feet and voice, there are shortcomings of the novel that its power cannot overcome.
The title of the novel is borrowed from the name of a newspaper that our protagonist, also the narrator, is an editor for. The novel belongs to her, the spirited and articulate Parag, but it is equally possessed by her childhood pal and present colleague Lisara. They are characters strong enough to admit their weaknesses. Very simply put, the efforts of these two girls to run a newspaper the ethical way in an imaginary town called Mayur Nagar, the hurdles they face due to pathetic social conditions, and their reaction to such obstacles form the crux of the novel. The issue may not be particularly innovative but the author has tried hard to inject a freshness to it.
The concept of a tiny town on the highway that is neither hill nor plains but located right in the middle is interesting in itself. One group tries to pull it towards the hills and another to the plains, but we can finally heave a sigh of relief when it is decided that Mayur Nagar will remain what it is – a midway between hills and plains. It seems a utopian idea, if a much welcome one. The writer has attempted to bring to life this town by weaving in minor details of peacock busts and mustard fields and nondescript details, but the town simply refuses to let itself be envisioned through such sketchy information.
When the novel begins with short and directly addressed statements from the protagonist about the life threats she is receiving, it is strangely disappointing in its flatness. This flatness extends for the first three pages, and then suddenly the novel picks up its pace along with the sharp, lively repartees between the two brave friends. That is when readers will realize that the author's talent lies not in the staccato descriptions that can resemble a news story at times, but rather in sparring verbal interaction between the characters. In fact, the author is at his spirited best as soon as people begin talking but when it comes to describing something, he loses steam midway. Or else it turns into background information about the matter, perhaps a hangover of his journalistic days which required him to cram in as many facts as possible.
This pattern is often repeated in the novel. Wherever dialogue appears, there is a sparkle and skillfulness in the writing. Otherwise, at times, the descriptions take on a preachy, righteous tone which is dangerous for a work that covers the contemporary political and social scenario. And is it really necessary to include mini-essays on governance or the kidnapping racket or hills-plains diversity in between? That too it all boils down to a single predictable sentence that our Parag is so fond of repeating, "This is what happens when the state is weak." The good part of the rest of Wagle's writing is that it is crisp, succinct and to the point. A frugal writer, he wastes neither his time nor the readers'. It is an easy work to go through and understand. Such simplicity is always endearing. The editing is as precise as the writing, with superfluous material evidently stripped off. But with crispness, there is always the possibility of burning or turning brittle, which the writer has not been able to avoid at times.
Weaknesses aside, there is much in this novel to be praised. First and foremost to the mind come the two protagonists, which have been brought to life commendably by the author. Parag Yadav is an unimaginably courageous banker-turned-accidental editor who laughs along with her kidnappers and when they query her bemusedly about the cause of her laughter, retorts, "Will you release me if I cry?" She reminds us of and makes us respect the bravery of those innumerable journalists who were and are still being threatened, kidnapped, tortured – and still have guts enough to retaliate. In particular, she is the spitting image of the valiant journalist Uma Singh from Janakpur, who was forced to let go of her life but held on awe-inspiringly to her ethics till the very end. This is a fitting tribute to our national hero.
Parag is an enviable amalgamation of the practical and the idealist, brought up by admirable parents who "put wings on her". Dissatisfied both with her highly paying banking job and a languishing romantic relationship (Why should I be a prisoner of his feudalistic love?" she argues), she accepts her friend's suggestion of editing the straightforward Mayur Times. And this friend, Lisara Pun, is herself a sensitive girl who never hesitates to stand up for what is right. The friendship between the two girls, one from the hills and another from the plains, is continued from where they left off years ago. Never before has our nation needed such friendships so desperately. This may resemble the highly sentimental, never-ending, selfless friendships from the movies at times, but on the larger scale it is appreciable, believable and heart warming.
And this friendship does not flounder to the very end, though a lot of things happen in between. The girls unearth enough conspiracies and terrorists to land themselves in seriously trouble. Sometimes there is chilling talk of pistols, at other times there are such dramatic death threats that the girls resemble movie actors. Yet they valiantly soldier on, trying to make a tiny difference through their reporting. Their life, interspersed with memories and observations, include various sundry aspects of the Nepalese life – a father dying in Qatar's perilous climate, teachers being forced to migrate for communal reasons, the municipality killing stray dogs, readers trust in horoscopes, rhododendrons' untimely bloom. Again here is the reflection of Wagle's overflowing reporting skills; his ravenous desire to portray the oddities of society at the first chance he gets. It is surprising how unwilling he is to experiment with newer forms, considering that his open-ended climax is a good experiment in itself.
In his bid to put in everything about everything, the writer at times seems to skim over the surface of everything. This not only hinders the smooth flow but also perplexes and tires readers. At one point, the narrator is talking about worried parents who have travelled a whole day to call their son, then suddenly she skips to a Maoist who equally abruptly and without any invitation begins pouring out her ideologies. At such times the work is reduced to a collage and a patchwork, which is not necessarily a good thing in a novel. Also, that a seasoned writer and journalist like Wagle should stereotype good characters as "clean, honest, witty" and antagonists as "paan-chewing, dirty, foolish" is surprising and unsatisfactory. The inhabitants of Mayur Nagar are cleanly and rather surgically divided into these two portions.
On the other hand, as mentioned above, there are plenty of satisfactory factors to be found in the novel. But none of them is as pretty as the portion taking us back to Parag's childhood – the patterns on her teacher's sari, the butterflies she draws, the way her father calls her beta. The inclusion of Maithili words is very natural. One time, when her headstrong Parag is about to leave for the hills, Ma admonishes her, "Jat tat nai daud, ae bhunbhun bauwa." From these words seep out a mother's warmth and an essential Nepali-ness.
This Nepali-ness is also evident in the way the writer sets out to identify and, if possible, resolve various issues of Nepal ranging from the hills-plains friction to communal disharmony, social insecurity, journalistic perils, corruption, terrorism and the like. No one is taking away from the excellent intentions of the writer, but the fact is that a novel does not have to be written only about the media, its impact or tribulations, that too in journalistic language. It does not need to double up as a lecture on conflict management or a report on the nations' political and social security structure either. There are innumerable issues just waiting to be explored by him.
The writer has scope and talent, and he has also channelized it well save for a few hiccups. That is why his work appeases the mind, appeals in part to the heart but does not quite quench the soul.
उपन्यासकी प्रमुख पात्र (र कथा वाचक) परागले काम गर्ने दैनिक पत्रिकाकै नामबाट लिइएको छ उपन्यासको शीर्षक । यो कथा बुद्धिमान र बहादुर परागको हो, र साथसाथै हो उनकी बालसखी र युवावस्थाकी सहकर्मी लिसारा पुनको पनि । संक्षेपमा भन्नुपर्दा यो उपन्यास यी दुई साथीले मिलेर मयूर नगर नामक काल्पनिक शहरमा सो पत्रिका चलाउने क्रममा भोग्नु परेका बाधा–अड्चन र उनीहरुले त्यसलाई गरेको सामनाको कथा हो । पहाड र तराईको दोसाँधमा पर्ने यस्तो काल्पनिक शहरको कल्पना आफैँमा रोमाञ्चक छ र निकै आदर्शवादी पनि । लेखकले यो बस्तीलाई पत्यारिलो तुल्याउन थुप्रै उपाय अपनाएका छन्, मयूरको मूर्तिदेखि तोरीबारी सम्मको वर्णन गरेर ।
उपन्यासको शुरुवातका परागले आफूलाई आइरहेको ज्यानमारा धम्कीको बारेमा भन्छे, छोटो छोटो वाक्यमा, अलि अल्छी लाग्दो गरी । तीन पृष्ठसम्म त यही एकनासे गन्थन तन्किन्छ, तर त्यसपछि भने दुई साथी बिचको चुस्त र छरितो संवादले उपन्यासलाई अर्कै रुप दिन्छ । वाग्लेको लेखनको मिठास भनेको रिपोर्टिङ शैलीको वर्णनहरुमा नभई जीवन्त र रसिला संवादहरुमा लुकेको छ । उपन्यासभरि नै यही नियम लागु हुन्छ ः संवादहरु बोलिएको स्थितिमा बेग्लै बहाव र चञ्चलता छ कथामा, अन्यथा घटनाक्रम झिँझोलाग्दो सूचना प्रदानमै सीमित रहन्छ । बीच बीचमा उनिएका छन् राज्य शासन व्यवस्था, तराई–मधेश द्वन्द्व र अपहरण पद्धतिका बारेमा निबन्धझैँ लाग्ने परिक्षेद । यो सबै व्याख्या फेरि एउटै वाक्यमा गएर टुङ्गिन्छ, जुन हाम्राी परागले दोहो¥याइ रहन्छिन्, ‘राज्य कमजोर भए यस्तै हुन्छ ।’ उपन्यासकारको लेखन शैलीको सबल पक्ष भनेको उनको सरलता हो – जो कोहीले पनि यो उपन्यास पढ्न र बुझ्न सक्छ । यस्तैगरी उपयुक्त सम्पादनले पनि उपन्यासका संवाद र घटनाक्रमलाई थप तिख्खर बनाइदिएको छ । तर यही तिख्खरता थपने क्रममा उपन्यासकार कहीँ त निकै ठाडो पनि भइदिएका छन् ।
यी कमजोरीहरुलाई बिर्सने हो भने उपन्यासमा थुप्रै प्रशंसनीय तत्व छन् । सर्वप्रथम त दुइृ महिला पात्रको सबल प्रयोग नै सह्रानीय छ । पराग यादव जस्ती आँटिली र दह्री पात्र शायदै कुनै नेपाली उपन्यासमा भेटिएला, र उसलाई मन पराउने थप कारण त के छ भने ऊ आफ्नो डर न लुकाउँछे न भन्न धकाउँछे । विगतमा र अहिले पनि धम्क्याइका, अपहरण गरिएका र मारिएका सम्पूर्ण पत्रकारको प्रतिनिधि बनेर ऊ उभिएकी छ । व्यवहारिक र आदर्शवादी चरित्रको लोभलाग्दो सम्मिश्रणका रुपमा उसलाई प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ । धेरै आम्दानी हुने बैँकको जागीर र अर्थहीन प्रेम जीवनबाट वाक्क भएर ऊ आइपुग्छे साथीलाई पत्रिका सञ्चालनमा सहयोग गर्न । परागकी यो साथी लिसारा पनि संघर्षशील युवती हो जो आइपरेको जिम्मेवारी पुरा गरेरै छोड्छे । पहाड र मधेशका यी दुईको पुर्नःमिलन पनि फेरि अघि बढ्छ उनीहरुको उदाहरणीय मित्रता – जस्तोसुकै कठोर मनलाई पनि पगाल्न सक्छ यो अनुपम बन्धनले ।
बेलाबेला चलचित्रको भागजस्तो लाग्ने तर प्रायः पत्यारिलो यो मित्रता पुस्तकको अन्त्यसम्म कायमै रहेको छ, बीचमा जेजस्ता बाधा आइपरे पनि – धम्की, अपहरण, अनिश्चितता । उनीहरुसँगै गाँसिएर आउँछन् अनेक प्रसङ्ग, जुन चाहीँ उपन्यासकारका रिपोर्टिङका हिस्सा झैँ लाग्छन् कहीलेकाहीँ ः कतारमा एक बाबुको मृत्यु, आम पाठकको राशीफलमाथिको विश्वास, गुराँसको बेमोसौमी फूल । यी सबै प्रसङ्गलाई समेट्ने लोभमा उपन्यासकारले हरेक विषयको सतह मात्र छुन भ्याएका छन् ।
तर लेखकले उपन्यासभरिमै मन लगाएर वर्णन गरेका र सबैभनदा सुन्दर भाग भनेको परागको बाल्यकाल नै हुन पुगेको छ । उसको शिक्षिकाको सारीका बुट्टा, उसको अबोधपन, उसले चित्र कोर्ने पुतली । यहाँ मिसाइएको मैथिली भाषा अति स्वाभाविक छ, र सुहाएको पनि छ । एकचोटि उसकी आमाले भन्छिन्, ‘जत तत नै दौड, ए भुनभुन बौआ ।’ आमाको माया प्रष्टै खुट्याउन सकिन्छ यो मातृभाषाको प्रयोगमा ।
आफ्नो राष्ट्रप्रति यस्तै ममता व्यक्त गर्छन् लेखकले पनि, नेपालका थुप्रै विसङ्गति प्रति चिन्ता गरेर ः तराई–मधेश समस्या, सामाजिक असुरक्षा, पत्रकारको जोखिम, भ्रष्टाचार, आतङ्क, आदि – सबै अत्यन्त सरल एवं पठनयोग्य शैलीमा । प्रशस्त सम्भावना र लेखन क्षमता त लेखकमा छँदैछ, आफूले छानेको विषयमा केन्द्रित भई यस्तै भाषामा प्रस्तुत गर्दै गए उनका रचनाहरु झनै प्रशंसित बन्दै जाने छन् ।
The male peacock, it is universally agreed, is a noteworthy creature. And equally noteworthy is journalist turned writer Narayan Wagle's new venture titled Mayur Times – quite literally, Peacock Times. But just as nothing can camouflage a peacock's unsightly feet and voice, there are shortcomings of the novel that its power cannot overcome.
The title of the novel is borrowed from the name of a newspaper that our protagonist, also the narrator, is an editor for. The novel belongs to her, the spirited and articulate Parag, but it is equally possessed by her childhood pal and present colleague Lisara. They are characters strong enough to admit their weaknesses. Very simply put, the efforts of these two girls to run a newspaper the ethical way in an imaginary town called Mayur Nagar, the hurdles they face due to pathetic social conditions, and their reaction to such obstacles form the crux of the novel. The issue may not be particularly innovative but the author has tried hard to inject a freshness to it.
The concept of a tiny town on the highway that is neither hill nor plains but located right in the middle is interesting in itself. One group tries to pull it towards the hills and another to the plains, but we can finally heave a sigh of relief when it is decided that Mayur Nagar will remain what it is – a midway between hills and plains. It seems a utopian idea, if a much welcome one. The writer has attempted to bring to life this town by weaving in minor details of peacock busts and mustard fields and nondescript details, but the town simply refuses to let itself be envisioned through such sketchy information.
When the novel begins with short and directly addressed statements from the protagonist about the life threats she is receiving, it is strangely disappointing in its flatness. This flatness extends for the first three pages, and then suddenly the novel picks up its pace along with the sharp, lively repartees between the two brave friends. That is when readers will realize that the author's talent lies not in the staccato descriptions that can resemble a news story at times, but rather in sparring verbal interaction between the characters. In fact, the author is at his spirited best as soon as people begin talking but when it comes to describing something, he loses steam midway. Or else it turns into background information about the matter, perhaps a hangover of his journalistic days which required him to cram in as many facts as possible.
This pattern is often repeated in the novel. Wherever dialogue appears, there is a sparkle and skillfulness in the writing. Otherwise, at times, the descriptions take on a preachy, righteous tone which is dangerous for a work that covers the contemporary political and social scenario. And is it really necessary to include mini-essays on governance or the kidnapping racket or hills-plains diversity in between? That too it all boils down to a single predictable sentence that our Parag is so fond of repeating, "This is what happens when the state is weak." The good part of the rest of Wagle's writing is that it is crisp, succinct and to the point. A frugal writer, he wastes neither his time nor the readers'. It is an easy work to go through and understand. Such simplicity is always endearing. The editing is as precise as the writing, with superfluous material evidently stripped off. But with crispness, there is always the possibility of burning or turning brittle, which the writer has not been able to avoid at times.
Weaknesses aside, there is much in this novel to be praised. First and foremost to the mind come the two protagonists, which have been brought to life commendably by the author. Parag Yadav is an unimaginably courageous banker-turned-accidental editor who laughs along with her kidnappers and when they query her bemusedly about the cause of her laughter, retorts, "Will you release me if I cry?" She reminds us of and makes us respect the bravery of those innumerable journalists who were and are still being threatened, kidnapped, tortured – and still have guts enough to retaliate. In particular, she is the spitting image of the valiant journalist Uma Singh from Janakpur, who was forced to let go of her life but held on awe-inspiringly to her ethics till the very end. This is a fitting tribute to our national hero.
Parag is an enviable amalgamation of the practical and the idealist, brought up by admirable parents who "put wings on her". Dissatisfied both with her highly paying banking job and a languishing romantic relationship (Why should I be a prisoner of his feudalistic love?" she argues), she accepts her friend's suggestion of editing the straightforward Mayur Times. And this friend, Lisara Pun, is herself a sensitive girl who never hesitates to stand up for what is right. The friendship between the two girls, one from the hills and another from the plains, is continued from where they left off years ago. Never before has our nation needed such friendships so desperately. This may resemble the highly sentimental, never-ending, selfless friendships from the movies at times, but on the larger scale it is appreciable, believable and heart warming.
And this friendship does not flounder to the very end, though a lot of things happen in between. The girls unearth enough conspiracies and terrorists to land themselves in seriously trouble. Sometimes there is chilling talk of pistols, at other times there are such dramatic death threats that the girls resemble movie actors. Yet they valiantly soldier on, trying to make a tiny difference through their reporting. Their life, interspersed with memories and observations, include various sundry aspects of the Nepalese life – a father dying in Qatar's perilous climate, teachers being forced to migrate for communal reasons, the municipality killing stray dogs, readers trust in horoscopes, rhododendrons' untimely bloom. Again here is the reflection of Wagle's overflowing reporting skills; his ravenous desire to portray the oddities of society at the first chance he gets. It is surprising how unwilling he is to experiment with newer forms, considering that his open-ended climax is a good experiment in itself.
In his bid to put in everything about everything, the writer at times seems to skim over the surface of everything. This not only hinders the smooth flow but also perplexes and tires readers. At one point, the narrator is talking about worried parents who have travelled a whole day to call their son, then suddenly she skips to a Maoist who equally abruptly and without any invitation begins pouring out her ideologies. At such times the work is reduced to a collage and a patchwork, which is not necessarily a good thing in a novel. Also, that a seasoned writer and journalist like Wagle should stereotype good characters as "clean, honest, witty" and antagonists as "paan-chewing, dirty, foolish" is surprising and unsatisfactory. The inhabitants of Mayur Nagar are cleanly and rather surgically divided into these two portions.
On the other hand, as mentioned above, there are plenty of satisfactory factors to be found in the novel. But none of them is as pretty as the portion taking us back to Parag's childhood – the patterns on her teacher's sari, the butterflies she draws, the way her father calls her beta. The inclusion of Maithili words is very natural. One time, when her headstrong Parag is about to leave for the hills, Ma admonishes her, "Jat tat nai daud, ae bhunbhun bauwa." From these words seep out a mother's warmth and an essential Nepali-ness.
This Nepali-ness is also evident in the way the writer sets out to identify and, if possible, resolve various issues of Nepal ranging from the hills-plains friction to communal disharmony, social insecurity, journalistic perils, corruption, terrorism and the like. No one is taking away from the excellent intentions of the writer, but the fact is that a novel does not have to be written only about the media, its impact or tribulations, that too in journalistic language. It does not need to double up as a lecture on conflict management or a report on the nations' political and social security structure either. There are innumerable issues just waiting to be explored by him.
The writer has scope and talent, and he has also channelized it well save for a few hiccups. That is why his work appeases the mind, appeals in part to the heart but does not quite quench the soul.
January 20, 2018
I can understand why people are not happy after reading this book. But I am really happy that Narayan sir have made justice to the character of two women. We rarely get to read in Nepali literature, about a strong character of the woman. But there are so many things that need to be explained but the writer has left it unexplained which makes many readers frustrated and irritated. So far I must say we need to read this kind of character time and again.
June 14, 2013
This story just flows and you dont get your emotions up and down reading this. A simple story written simply and lacks a major plot to make it good . I rated it 2 and read if you have plenty of time free although it doesnt takes a sort of it.
March 23, 2021
विशेषत ०६२/६३ अघिपछिको विषयवस्तुमा केन्द्रित यो उपन्यास त्यसबेलाको समाज, राजनीतिको आडमा हुने अराजनीतिक गतिविधि, भष्ट्राचार, गुण्डागर्दी र यसले आम मानिसलाई दिएको दुःखलाई एक पत्रकारले मुख्य पात्र पत्रकारकै रुपमा उतारेर कथा बुन्न सफल भएका छन् ।
January 6, 2020
Not as brilliant and captivating as his first venture, "Palpasa Cafe", but still palatable.
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April 20, 2020I always find this better than palpasa cafe
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April 8, 2022I wish the writer had given some kind of closure to Mahima miss’s case. I was expecting it till the end of the book.
June 14, 2013
Good book, tells you how journalism in Nepal is.
December 28, 2014
Mayur Times has done a fair job of depicting the constraints/threats faced by journalism in war/terror torn nations and how lack of good governance makes things worse for journalism industry.
June 6, 2014
palpasa cafe jastai cha. thikai cha..
November 26, 2016
Poor work than palpasa cafe but worthy reading
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