करोडौं कस्तूरी [Karodaun Kasturi]

by Amar Neupane, अमर न्यौपाने

Karodaun Kasturi is the story of Haribamsa Acharya. Not the most respected and popular Nepali actor who has kept us rolling on our couches so often – but rather his namesake. The namesake has a certain set of skills – the same set of skills that made Haribamsa the Haribamsa that we know today. But it takes more than talent to become successful, that we find out in this cleverly reimagined real-life-story of a novel.

Genres: Fiction

371 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2015

About the author

अमर न्यौपाने युवा आख्यानकार हुन् । उनको पहिलो आख्यान पानीको घामले
२०६६ सालको पद्मश्री साहित्य सम्मान र बालकथा सङ्ग्रह कलिलो मनले २०६७
सालको पारिजात बालसाहित्य पाण्डुलिपि पुरस्कार प्राप्त गरेको थियो ।
उनको उपन्यास सेतो धरतीले २०६८ सालको मदन पुरस्कार र रामराज पन्त
स्मृति पुरस्कार प्राप्त
गरेको छ ।

Reviews

[Bista Nirooj · Rating 5 out of 5]

"करोडौं कस्तुरी" एउटा मानिसको मात्र नभएर सम्पूर्ण बिधार्थीहरुको जीवन कथा हो । बहुमुखी प्रतिभाका धनी बहुचर्चित कलाकार हरिवँश आचार्य कलाकार हुन नपाएका भए के हुनथे होलान् ? यदि उनले पढाइ नछोडेका भए उनी अहिले कहाँ हुन्थे होलान् ? बास्तबिक `चिना हराएको मान्छे´ कस्तो लेखिन्थ्यो होला ? यही कुरालाई विषयबस्तु बनाएर लेखिएको छ "करोडौं कस्तुरी" ।

अहिलेको हामो शिक्षा प्रणालीले जुन बिधार्थिको भित्री प्रतिभालाई दबाउने काम गरिरहेको छ त्यसलाई सटीक ढङगले देखाइएको छ "करोडौं कस्तुरी" मा । आफू भित्रको अबोध कलाकारलाई दबाएर जब उनी खोलाको बाटो छोडेर नहरको बाटो हिड्न थाले उनको जीवननै मोड्डिन पुग्यो । कलाकार हरिवँश आचार्य बेकार हरिवँश आचार्य बन्न पुगे । आफ्नो कलाकार बन्ने ईच्छालाई मारेर बुवाको डाक्टर बनाउने इच्छालाई पूरा गर्न तिर उनी लाग्दा उन्ले आफ्नो जिवनको सार नै गुमाउन पुगे । उनी न त कलाकारनै बने नत डाक्टरनै । उनी त कस्तुरी हुन पुगे जस्ले आफ्नो सुगन्ध कहिलै थहा पाएनन् ।

मित्रता, प्रेम, इच्छा, हास्य र दुख सबै मिसिएको यो उपन्यास एकदमै उत्कृष्ट रहेको छ । लेखक "अमर न्योैपाने" द्वारा उत्कृष्ट ढंगबाट रचित उपन्यास "करोडौं कस्तुरी" ले आफ्नो सपना र इच्छाको पछि लाग्न प्रेरित गर्दछ ।

[Hemant Thapa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A huge disappointment.The book was too thick and the content was appealing too but the plot was too similar, everything was repeating after some pages. There was not flow in the book. Could not finish the book, left it out in the half-way

[Sandesh Babu Tiwari · Rating 4 out of 5]

करोडौ कस्तुरी ,
कति कस्तुरी आफ्नो सुगन्द थाहा नपाएर मरे, कति कस्तुरी आफ्नो सुगन्ध थाहा पाएर पनि केहि गर्न नसकी मरे.
This book taught me to follow what my heart sayas.

[Usha]

This book implies the true facts of life. Every individual must read this precious book before persuing the career blindfolded.

[Shaurav Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book exploring Haribansa Achary as if he wouldn't have been the humour and drama icon. A must read book for teachers, students and parents

[SubashChandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by a Madan Puraskar winning writer, Amar Neupane Karodaun Kasturi is a beautiful novel which is mainly targeted to those individuals who have been searching for the purpose of life but have forgotten to look within their own self.
Portraying a popular and well-known artist Hari Bansha Acharya as a symbol character, this novel revolves around his life from childhood to his mid-life, his struggles and how he fails in doing everything he puts his hand in and how useless he finds his own life. And also it explains why he finally chose to take his own life over living a worthless life. But finally the novel ends in a good note after the character finally finds a purpose of his life after talking to the author, Amar Nyaupane. He also knows what his problem actually was. He never did or was never allowed to do what he wanted or what his passion was because it was either not accepted by the people or society at that time because only studying hard could make people successful, at least this was what people thought at those times.
Kasturi in Nepali means Musk deer which is an animal that fails to notice the fragrance that comes from its navel and lives its entire life looking for the source of that fragrance in hills and forests and different places but dies never finding it because it was there within it. So, this novel says that there are many people and children living the life of Kasturis not knowing their own fragrance and overlooking what they are capable. This work of author is an excellent work of making people alert of their qualities and capabilities.

[Ray Kha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiction-Self-help-Inspirational-Humour
The author has worked hard over the innovation; great imagination, deep thoughts and mesmerizing creativity to help people learn their insights and listen to their inner voice for recognizing their capability before its too late. Basically, this book wants us to learn that syllabus and marks are not everything for career and life but parents should know what their children are capable of and they should relish what their children are good at and what they want. At the end, two lives(ps. One the real life of great artist and other clone life with different scenario) has been shown and tried to interpret what right decision at right time can bring in life. Great work, hats off and worth reading!! :))) I have kept good amount of bookmarks and highlighted punching lines and there is a huge collection of beautiful lines that touched my heart. Also, the chapters are really short from a single page to maximum five so its a quick reading :))
#happyreading

[Dhiraj Sharma Nyaupane · Rating 2 out of 5]

अमर न्यौपानेको अरु कृति त मैले पढेको छैन । तर मदन पुरस्कारले सम्मानित लेखकको रचना उत्सुकता साथ पढेको, सोचे जस्तो पाईँन । पात्र र घटनाका विकासक्रम कमजोर छन् । कुराहरु दोहोरिइरहन्छन् । ठाउँठाउँमा कथा रुमल्लिएको स्पष्ट हुन्छ । 'सेतो धर्ती' र 'पानीको घाम' पनि पढ्ने विचार छ । लेखकको बारेमा त्यसपछि मात्रै धारणा बनाउँछु ।

[Gurung Samjhana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most interesting and most boring novel by same author. Seto Dharti is in my top list and I couldn’t even read half of the book ‘Karodau kasturi’. Hoping i will soon be reading next brilliant work of ur sir (Amar Neupane)🙂. Good luck.

[Alina Shrestha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart touching story of many of us who can't find their true calling and just live with social terms and values.

[Keepa Tuladhar · Rating 4 out of 5]

"जसलाई  सबैभन्दा धेरै हेरे, उसैलाई देखेको रहेनछु।  जसलाई  सबैभन्दा धेरै सुनें, उसैलाई सुनेको रहेनछु।जोसँग सबैभन्दा धेरै समय बिताएँ, उसैलाई चिनेको रहेनछु।  जसलाई सबैभन्दा धेरै पढें, उसैलाई बुजेको रहेनछु।   आफूलाई कुनै पनि कोणबाट जानेकै रहेनछु।"

समाजले के भन्ला? समाजले के सोचला? समाजको अनूसार हामी बाच्दै गर्दा आफ्नो जीवन जिउन छोड्दा, हाम्रो मन रुन्छ, हाम्रो आत्मा हराउदै जान्छ। हाम्रो समाजमा पढाईलाई धेरै मान्यता दिन्छ, तर पढाई एकहोरो पढाई खालको हुन्छ।  यो कथामा मानसिक स्वास्थ्यको बारे पनि चित्रण गरेको छ।  आफ्नो जीवन को लक्ष्यमा हिड्न नपाउदा, समाजले भनेको अनुसार आफ्नो जीवन बिताउनु पर्दा मुख्य पत्र डिप्रेसनमा जान्छ । उसको मनको गहिरो सोचहरु समाजको भन्दा भिन्न भएर, समाजले उसलाई बहुला भनेर भन्छन, तेसो भन्दा उसलाई ऊ आफै बहुला हो कि जसो महसुस हुन्छ।  संसारमा कसैले पनि उसलाई चिन्न नसकेर ऊ उदाश हुन्छ । आफ्नो जीवन आफ्नो खुसी बाचन पाउँदा दुख भएता पनि मन खुशी हुन्छ।  आफ्नो चिनाइ अफै बनाउनु पर्छ, संसारको लयमा हैन । यो कथा कस्तुरीहरु मात्र होइन तर ति विद्यार्थीहरुको पनि हो जस्को क्षमता नभए पनि समाजको दबाबमा आफ्नो व्यक्तित्व र पहिचान हराउनु भयो।

"शिक्षाको काम आफ्नै जीवनको नदीलाई बाँध बाँधेर बिजुली निकाल्नु हो।  अरुकै जीवनको बिजुल ल्याएर दुईचार ओटा बल्ब झुन्ड्याउनु मात्र हैन।"
~~~
Karodaun Kasturi is the story of Haribamsa Acharya. Not the most respected and popular Nepali actor who has kept us rolling on our couches so often – but rather his namesake. The namesake has a certain set of skills – the same set of skills that made Haribamsa the Haribamsa that we know today. But it takes more than talent to become successful, that we find out in this cleverly reimagined real-life-story of a novel. A story about your capability, your desire, your dream and society squashing it because you need to live according to their standard!!

[Sunil Parajuli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok! I felt the content is genuine to those individuals whoever are currently stuck into the wrong job.

It is also a fact that even if you realize your true interest or skills, sometimes you are too scared to step and change or lets say you can't pursue what your heart says.

I believe this is because you put your family's expections in first place and everything else what you dreamt of fades away.

When i was going through it pages by pages, i was reviving my own life. Everynight when i go to bed now, i am so restless thinking why didn't i do something then and the things would have been different now.

Lets go to the flow of the plot. Somewhere between 2nd and 3rd part of the book, i found it repetative. Also, i found the flow of this book matches to his other publication "Seto Dharti". So, i felt i was reading the same book in few chapters.
Apart from these, i truly enjoyed the book in total. Kudos to Amar🖒

[Gooogleion · Rating 5 out of 5]

it is a beautifully written fictional novel about how his life would have been if he had not discovered his talent as a comedian. The novel sends out a simple yet powerful message of following your passion.

"Kasturi" is an animal which has a special "bina". The smell of this bina is very sweet and magical. There is a popular metaphor that this animal runs behind its own smell without knowing that the smell is actually coming from itself. The writer has done an excellent job picking the metaphor as its title and makes the whole novel even more relevant.

It is still popular among teenagers and adults because it is a blend of drama, struggle, and dream. Furthermore, it carries the message that each human is born with a special quality and, if recognised, in time can lead to the treasure of success.

[Sachin Joshi · Rating 3 out of 5]

बहुचर्चित कलाकार हरिवंश आचार्यले आफू भित्र भएको प्रतिभा समयमा नै नचिनेका भए आज उनी के हुने थिए होलान्? के उनी कलाकारीतामा जति सफल अरु विधामा हुने थिए होलान् त ? के उनले आज जस्तो लाखौं नेपालीहरुको माया पाउँने थिए? के उनले आफूलाई सफल भएको महसुस गर्थे होलान्? यी र यस्ता विभिन्न प्रश्नहरुको उत्तरको रुपमा लेखक अमर न्यौपानेले पाठकहरु सामु उपहार स्वरुप पस्केका छन् "करोडौं कस्तूरी" ।

करोडौं कस्तूरी ती तमाम मञ्च नपाएका असफल हरिवंश आचार्यहरुको कथा हो जो आफ्नो जीवनको सुगन्ध थाहा नपाएर भौंतारिरहेका छन् र भौंतारिँदा भौंतारिँदै थाकेर निष्कृय जीवन बाँचिरहेछन् । यस किताबले आफू भित्रको सुगन्ध पत्ता लगाएर आफ्नो सपनाको पछि दौडिन प्रेरित गर्छ । यस किताबमा बाल्यकालको रमाइलो, जवानीको जोस, परिवार, मित्रता, प्रेम, इच्छा, आकांक्षा, मिलन, बिछोड, खुशी, दु:ख सबै चीजहरु समेटिएका छन् । ठाउँ-ठाउँमा कथा चुइङ्गगम जस्तो भएको पक्षलाई नकार्न भने सकिन्न । यस किताबका हरेक पानाहरुमा हाम्रो शिक्षा प्रणाली माथि अनेकन प्रश्न चिन्हहरु ठडिएका छन् ।

यो उपन्यास आफ्नो मञ्च नपाएका अनेक हरिवंश वा भनौँ सुगन्धको खोजीमा रहेका करोडौं कस्तूरीहरुका लागि महत्वपूर्ण दस्तावेज बन्नसक्छ ।

[Sabin Shrestha · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are born and fed on the uncontrolled energy of the human mind. They don't see us but our existence traps every living cell in the body, right up to the end."" maybe someday in the later half of the century when i have lose half sense of who i am and only 10 hours have passed at martians' planet, i'll find this comment and laugh at the reality that the purpose of life was never to accumulate wealth or attain a higher social status, but to have no regrets when the moment comes..

[Aasu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just can't say how good the ending was. XD
I mean i was struggled at first as i thought it was a normal romance story but when the story went on, lots of things happened which were completely unexpected. If you are struggling to choose your path like i am, this book is for us.

[Bijaya Tiwari · Rating 4 out of 5]

सबै घटनाक्रम एउटा कल्पना को रूपमा उतारिएको छ। आफ्नो इछ्याएको पाटोमा लाग्ने हो भने कोहिपनि दुखि हुनुपर्दैन भन्न खोजिएको छ। व्यक्तिगत रूपमा चाही कथाक्रम जस्तो भएपनि, अमर न्यौपानेजीको लेखनीको चाही म फ्यान नै हुँ। साधारण बाक्य पनि कस्तो मज्जाको तरिकामा लेख्नुहुन्छ, पढ्ननै मज्जा आउछ।

[Prabidhik KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

parallel story of Hari Bansha Acharya on how his life would have been, had he not been Hari Bansha Acharya we know; beautifully written and a good read; very thought provoking; questions and requestions the traditional education system we have

[Rujal Lal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Treat to ur brain.. awesome a must read...

[Amir Nepal]

i want to read

[San Dy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever read🤟

[Shaswot · Rating 5 out of 5]

best

[Susan Pariyar Bisarjan · Rating 5 out of 5]

पुस्तक को प्रथम संसकरणनै अध्यन गरेको हु फेरि पनि एकप्टक अध्ययन गर्ने व्यग्र इच्छ्या रहयो। नेपाली आख्यान लेखन मा मैले स्म्झने एक उत्कृष्ट लेखक प्रिय अमर न्यौपाने लाई अझै पढ्ने मन छ

[Saa Daa]

fScg

[Kishor Mahatara · Rating 3 out of 5]

An inspiring story

[Bibhuti Kadayat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended to all the teachers,students and parents!🖤

[Prajita Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

An optimum read. Leaves you with a beautiful thought process.

[Roshan Tamang · Rating 4 out of 5]

आफ्नो सपनाको खोजीमा रहँदाका कथावस्तु

[Aayush Radhika Thakur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing!!!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book very much. This was a fresh and light read compared to other books I had been reading. Before reading, I did not know the meaning of Kasturi. Apparently it is a name of a deer who has a unique aroma coming out from it navel. However, unknown to this, the deer has been said to search throughout it's life about the source of that particular smell.

As the name suggests, it is the story of people who don't know their worth and are in search of self discovery. The writer has used veteran actor Hari Bansha Acharya as a protagonist of the story. The first half of the book are vivid, enthralling and funny. It made me laugh aloud. As he grows old, the book also becomes dark, mundane and you could actually feel Hari's soul drowning as his life turns Topsy-turvey. I was dreading about the protagonist, hoping he would not end up like a character from "Half A Life" I hated. And in the end he doesn't. He recovers and although it takes him more than decades, he turns into a person he was meant to be.

I liked Nyaupane's style of writing. It was easy (probably because this book was targeted for students, teachers and parents too) and the anecdotes on the book made me ponder a lot. There were several small anecdotes which matched with the thoughts I used to think as a child. At times, there were long perfectly structured dialogues, which I feel, aren't used in real life conversation. Nevertheless, the structure, plot and characters of the book was all in all perfect.