Mahakavi Devkota's 'Kabikunja' changed into museum

Kathmandu, Oct.1: The 'Kabikunja' where the Great Poet Laxmi Prasad Devkota spent 10 spectacular years of his life has been transformed into a museum.

The Nepal Academy has established the Kathmandu Metropolitan City-30, Maitidevi-based residence of Devkota as the museum. As informed, the Academy constructed the four-storied museum building on over a ropani land.

Mahakavi Devkota's home which was deteriorating was dismantled to build new structures for the museum. According to the Academy, the construction cost was Rs 71.1 million.

The museum has a collection of Mahakavi's possessions, including clothes, manuscript and published literary creations. The Academy has called for the concerned people to submit the belongings of Mahakavi Devkota to the Academy if any. 

Those who hand over the things belonging to Devkota would be kept in the records.Inaugurating the museum, Academy Chancellor Ganga Prasad Uprety said the Mahakavi who was disappeared in the year 2016 BS has been found in his own Kabikunja today.

This is so far the first museum built by the Academy in the name of literary person. "The voice that has been raised for transforming the Mahakavi's residence into the museum has been translated into action today. It has become a virgin land of literary sector. It would be developed as a national heritage. We also took the critics of the heritage positively and counted their contributions to this effect", he further noted. On the occasion, Chancellor Uprety informed that the Academy has designated five employees for the management of the museum. The museum would be kept open for the public after Dashain vacation from October 9 onwards. The Academy has adopted a policy to not take museum entry fee for at least a year.

At the programme, Academy's former Chancellor Bairagi Kainla said his vision of constructing museum before the name of renowned literary figure has come true today. He also called for proper conservation of the historical museum as the government has handed the home of the Mahakavi to the Academy.

KMC ward 30 Chairperson Dal Bahadur Karki expressed happiness over the transformation of the deteriorated home of the Mahakavi into the museum. Also present on the occasion were Academy's member-secretary Prof Jagat Prasad Upadhyay, Prof Dr. Pathiweswor Timilsina, Mahakavi Marga Tole Reform Committee chair Narehdra Bahadur Shresth and Mahakavi Devkota's daughter Ambika Devi Devkota Risal. With the inauguration of the museum, the full body-size statute of Devkota was also unveiled. The Devkota audio-visual room has also been established within the museum.

A meeting hall has been arranged on the top floor of the museum, it was informed. On the occasion, various people having significant contributions to the establishment of the museum were honoured.