Litterateur Mohan Chapagain’s ninth book, Chho Rolpa ko Chhayama, which is an anthology of Haikus, was launched amid a function held in the Capital on Sunday. The book was unveiled by author Nagendra Raj Sharma. 

Speaking at the occasion, Sharma said, “Anyone who attempts at writing haikus is a brave person.” Noting that every country boasts its unique literary culture and inherent beauty in it, Sharma added, “Poets should pay attention to exploring that beauty and bringing it to the fore.”  Haiku, a traditional short form of Japanese poetry, consists of 3 lines, wherein the first and last lines have 5 syllables and the middle line has 7 syllables, with the lines rarely rhyming. 

Sharma, speaking at the event, further said that while there is nothing wrong about borrowing the literary tradition of an another nation, one should also be wary of just promoting and exploring the literary tradition of one’s own country. 

Meanwhile, Shree Om Shrestha, editor of the literary magazine Madhupark, said, “Writing haiku is no easy feat. Since one is bound by a certain set structure, writing a work of haiku is only possible through years of practice and diligence.” 

Speaking at the event, author Chapagain shared the genesis of his work. “Like every other author who ventures into literary writing, I write for self-satisfaction first. Then, I also write to cater to the needs of the audience who are living through the times of information overload and might not have enough time to read novels of great length.”