Thumkeli’s ‘Lok Kalakar Jiwani’ launched

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Aug. 10: The biography of 13 artists who have dedicated their lives to the promotion of folk art has come in a form of a book.

The book Lok Kalakar Jiwani ( Biography of Folk Artist) written by Debendra Thumkeli was released on Tuesday at a program organized by Nepal Fine Arts Academy, Folk Art Department.

Speaking at the program, Chancellor of the Academy KK Karmacharya said that the book would help promote folk art and the hard work of artists.

He said that although a small book cannot cover the entire aspects of folk art in the country, it is an example that a book can be written about folk art. “The academy and other writers should continue to write rich accounts of folk art,” he added.

Keshab Raj Khanal, President of Nepal Fine Art Journalists Association, said that there is a large part of folk art and suggested that more books can be written on the artists and artworks. 

Writer Thumkeli said that the book was about Newar, Mithila, Tharu, Rajbanshi, period folk art, and folk artists dedicated to its creation.

He said that even though there are many great artists in Nepali folk art, it is not possible to give a place to all of them in one book and other authors can use their pens in this genre.

Mithila Devi Yadav, Head of the Folk Art Department of the academy, said that a book can be written about the folk art being practiced in every community to promote the glory of folk art.

She said that due to limited resources and means, she was able to write only a small part of the folk art in the book.

The book mentions about Sharada Chitrakar, Jeet Bahadur Rayamajhi ‘Maithil’, Surya Bahadur Chitrakar, Shyamanand Thakuri, Ajit Kumar, Mithila Devi Yadav, Sita Devi Karna, Laxman Mandal, Pawan Kumar Rajbanshi, Mitthu Tharu, Julumlal Chitrakar, Punam Devi Das, S.C. Suman.