Her
Royal Highness Princess Helen Shah launched Pallav Ranjan's English
adaptation of Swasthani and art show at the Tourism Center Building
on May 9. The program was organized jointly by Kathmandu Art Gallery
and the Spiny Babbler arts and literature organization.
Pallav
Ranjan began the process of adaptation in 1991 and completed the
book and the artwork in 1999. Badaguruju Kesari Raj Pandey gave
a special talk program and highlighted the importance of Swasthani
and the every day lives of the Nepalese people. He described the
Swasthani stories and said that they contain rich emotions of compassion,
grief, and joy. He said that they have great cultural and religious
significance for an international audience.
Sarosh
Pradhan, director of Katmandu Art Gallery, said that the stories
bring the Nepalese families together and the efforts of Ranjan were
appreciable. Talking as the author and painter, Pallav Ranjan mentioned
the importance Swasthani as it gives our nation a cultural identity
and highlighted the fact that Swasthani plays a more important role
in Nepal than Ramayana or Mahabharata. He said that the scriptures
present an organized outlook to the Hindu religion and that the
stories of war, love, forgiveness and tragedies therein were very
compelling.
More
than a hundred writers, scholars, foreign dignitaries, and business
personalities attended the event. Sur Sudha, musical group, gave
live performance at the ceremony. The art show will take place at
the Kathmandu Art gallery at the Tourism Center Building in Bhrikuti
Mandap until May 24. |