Vasistha to grace Paleti with poetry recital

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 28: Paleti, a musical evening, is set to host poet/ writer Bhushita Vasistha in its upcoming Chhanda-Paleti programme. 

The recital will take place on the evenings of January 30 and 31 at Nepalaya’s r-sala, Kalikasthan.

According to a press release issued by Nepalaya, Vasistha had previously performed at Paleti nearly seven years ago. This year’s presentation will centre on Nawarasa, the nine classical aesthetic emotions, through selected metred poems by senior and contemporary Nepali poets, along with Vasistha’s own compositions.

Metred poetry, once the dominant literary form worldwide, now survives largely among a limited circle of rhythm-oriented literary enthusiasts. 

With the growing popularity of free verse, metrical poetry has gradually moved to the margins of mainstream Nepali literature. Its continuity, however, has been sustained through oral recitation and musical rendition, where melody plays a vital role in preservation and transmission.

According to Nepalaya, Chhanda-Paleti is regarded as a festival in itself, highlighting the melodic richness and diversity of Nepali metred poetry.

This year’s recital will feature works by renowned poets, including Lekhnath Paudyal, Motiram Bhatta, Laxmi Prasad Devkota, Madhav Prasad Ghimire, Bhairav Aryal, Somnath Sigdel, Nayaraj Pant, Manoj Bhandari, Bharat Mani Bhattarai, and others, as informed in the press release. 

Vasistha, who completed her studies in Creative Writing in the United States, currently resides in Dharan. With academic interests spanning Sanskrit and English literature, she has arrived in Kathmandu to collaborate with Paleti’s musicians at Nepalaya.

Describing her connection with the platform, Vasistha said Paleti has always been a revered seat of poetic devotion for her and that the association has strengthened her commitment to poetic discipline, as mentioned in the press release. 

Composer Abhas, part of the musical team, said the group is excited to collaborate with Paleti on metical poetry for the second time, noting that their experience continues to influence their artistic journey.