Toya Gurung has written a number of poetry anthologies in her five-decade literary career. Known for her long-form poetry, what sets Gurung apart from her contemporaries is the wit and playfulness that are the hallmark of her writings. In this conversation with Post’s Samikshya Bhattarai, Gurung talks about how she has seen Nepali literature evolve over time. Excerpts: 

Why did you pursue a career in literature? 

Growing up I listened to my father recite Durga Kawach and Bhagavad Gita alongside many other Hindu texts every morning. He often asked me to read them for him and I enjoyed doing so. Hence, the seed of literature was probably already planted in me when I was just a little girl. But, what really inspired me to write was nature. I grew up in the hills where I was always surrounded by streams and rivers, birds and animals, greenery and mountains. Whenever I went out in the nature, I felt like every element in it was speaking to me, and I’d try to capture the joy of the moment through words. 

Who did you look up to as a young writer? 

I looked up to writers such as Gopal Prasad Rimal, Laxmi Prasad Devkota, and Bhupi Sherchan among others, for they played a significant role in developing Nepali literature. They introduced romanticism to Nepali literature, and I always took pride in how rich their prose was.

How has Nepali literature evolved over the five decades that you’ve been a part of it?  

When I started writing, the number of writers was very small, and the number of women writers even smaller. I am not kidding when I say you could count them on your fingers. Back then literature used to be about passion and madness. Today, it is more about fame and money.  There are uncountable writers who write under uncountable genres. While some of them are remarkable, not many of them are adding value to the field. I am not sure if the initial quality and richness is still intact. Another thing that’s hard to miss is the fact that back in the day poetry was the most loved genre; today it’s definitely fictional novels. 

Has space for female writers in Nepali literature grown over the years?

It is a fact that not many women have been able to come up as writers in Nepal because they are still tied to their traditional gender roles as homemakers. Even when more women have been able to step out of their houses in the last five decades, those pursuing their passion for writing is still a small number. The situation is better than back when I started, but it needs to get much better. The few women writers still have to work twice or thrice harder than their male counterparts for recognition. Having said that, I personally don’t like categorising a writer as male or female; a writer is a writer.  Gender should not be an issue when you’re judging how well someone writes. Creativity and craft is what should matter. 

What makes a good writer then? 

Writing differs from person to person, and so does choice of genre and language. You can’t really point out one work of writing as good and the other as bad; because what I like doesn’t necessarily have to appeal to you as a reader as well. Talking of my personal choice, I like works that pay attention to details. I like works that keep me hooked and excited. I am not fond of writers who use monotonous tone and voice while writing. It is also important to use right words in the right places. Good writing should echo the writer’s depth of knowledge and resonate with the reader’s emotions. Richness in language is another important aspect of good writing. Writers blossom when they read a lot and their work reveals how much they read. I also believe that good writers are driven by passion and not money.

What advice do you have for readers?

Don’t be lazy or picky. I would advise the readers to read anything they find and read all kind of books because every new book comes with a new lesson.