Shrawan Mukarung is a man with many hats. A poet and author of more than ten books, including Bise Nagarchi ko Bayan, he has also penned dramas, lyrics to songs and has a music album to his name. In this conversation with the Post’s Samikshya Bhattarai, Mukarung talks about his affinity to poetry and his love for books. Excerpts:

How did you first come to love books?

I loved reading from a very young age. We had a library at our school that had many kinds of books but I always preferred to read poems. I used to spend a lot of time in the library reading books by poets such as Gopal Prasad Rimal, Bhupi Sherchan, among others. Their poems were the reason that I started writing.

Who are your favourite authors?

My favourite authors are the poets who introduced me to the world of poetry: Gopal Prasad Rimal, Bhupi Sherchan and Mohan Koirala. I also love to read books by Parijat, Bijay Malla and Indra Bahadur Rai.  Among international poets, I love to read the works of Ezra Pound, TS Eliot and Rabindranath Tagore.

What is your favourite genre?

I don’t have a favourite genre. I think that to be a good writer or a poet, you need to have a basic knowledge about every issue. So I try to read different kinds of books. I read books about history, sociology, philosophy and sometimes even science.

How do you select books to read?

I usually go with my friends’ recommendation. If there are books that my friends find good and are talking about, then I make it a point to read it. I also try to read books by new poets; I am constantly scouring the internet to find new books.

Name a book that you would recommend, and why?

I have been reading Aaina by Ramlal Joshi recently, which I like a lot. Also the new book by Buddhisagar, Firfire, was a good read. If I were to recommend one single author, I would recommend people to read the poetry collections of Hanyug Aagyat.

 Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction? Why?

I think knowledge is everywhere and we should try to take in as much knowledge as possible. So I try to read both fiction and non-fiction. But as I am a poet, I naturally have more inclination towards poetry. If I find any books with poems in it, I try to at least go through it once.

What is good writing for you? What would you say makes a good writer?

There are few things that I believe that a good writer should have: passion for writing, knowledge about the topic and understanding of the power of words. If a writer doesn’t have passion for what he or she is doing, then the readers will not be able to relate to the poems and stories. And if the writer doesn’t understand the power of words and cannot play with them, then the writings will be meaningless. So, I believe, to be a good writer you need to have experience, basic knowledge, passion and a lot of practice. Also, I think writers should have discipline and work accordingly while writing poems, drama or stories.

Your advice for general readers?

There are many kinds of books in the market nowadays and people have a large range of options to choose from. But I think there are only two kinds of books: good books and bad books. So, I would recommend the readers to read good books, as it will encourage good writers and promote literature. But, then again, what is a good book for one person might not be the same for another. When you make a habit out of reading, you eventually get a knack for identifying what good books that entice you are.