Nasala Chitrakar is a student of Civil Engineering, whose first love always has been words. You may find her at the odd literary event in town reading out her poems. She loves reading, writing, long walks, knitting and travelling. She spoke to Prizma Ghimire about some of her favourite reads. 

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I had the movie adaptation of the book with me, and wanted to read the original before I watched the film. 

How did you first come to love books? 

I have always loved stories. As a child, I would read my literature textbooks the minute I got my hands on them and then move on to my sister’s. My father used to get me storybooks once in a while, too. 

But what really set my reading habit going were 

the detective novels in my school library. I used to ask my friends to get specific books just so I could read theirs after I was done with mine. Having friends who were as enthusiastic about books as I helped quite a bit.

Do you write as well?

I don’t really identify myself as a novelist or a poet as such, but I like writing when 

things become too chaotic around me. I blog most of my work (www.adawnoflife.wordpress.com) and share them via social media. Inspiration for my writing generally comes from the people, places and small everyday events around me. I like listening to my girlfriends talk (when they are done blabbing about daily soaps) and my male friends yap (when they are done making sexist comments). What I hear around me figures in a big way in what I write.

What are your views on present-day Nepali literature?

Frankly speaking, I, like much of the urban youth, do not read as much Nepali literature as I would like to, at least not well enough to be able to analyse trends and such. I think Nepali literature does not get as much attention as it should from young people in the cities, mostly because there is a disconnect starting from the formative years in schools between the language and the kids, which is a result of being pushed more firmly towards the English language. Also, unlike English literature, Nepali literature does not really transition all that well between ages. There are children’s books and there are books for adults. There aren’t all that many books that cater to teenagers, which is the age when people develop their reading habits.

However, I do enjoy Nepali poetry, whether it is Laxmi Prasad Devkota’s work, or poems by friends shared on Facebook.

What would we find on your list of top five favourite books? How have these influenced you?

Can I say the seven books of the Harry Potter series? No, but growing up, I read a lot of fiction and a little non-fiction. But I find that non-fiction stays with you more, just because of the knowledge that it is based on real events. Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang is one such book.

I love the fact that books can transport you places, across cultures that are foreign to you, and can be explored by just using your imagination and the words on paper. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden did that for me and it is among my favourites. I love Jane Austen novels, too. And I can re-read A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens over and over again and feel sad every time.

If you could read or write in a foreign language, what would it be? 

French, maybe. It must be the hopeless romantic in me. 

Why do you think reading and writing are important? What advice do you have for young readers?

People who read or write are more aware. They are more open to unconventional ideas and more accepting of the differences in other people. One should read whatever one can get one’s hands on. Think about what you read. Write whatever feels right to you. Share what you write, get better. Don’t give up because you feel mediocre. You never know when genius will strike.

One book that everyone should read and why?

Khaled Hossieni’s And The Mountains Echoed. It’s such a soulful book. Had me crying in the first chapter itself.