Thapa brings out 'Kag-Koili'

By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, June 11: An epic titled Kaag-Koili, penned by senior journalist and litterateur Baldev Thapa, was unveiled in Banepa recently.

Author Thapa's daughter Usha Thapa and daughter-in-law Srijana Thapa jointly released the book.

The epic features the crow and the cuckoo as its principal characters. Speakers claimed that this is the first epic poem to portray birds as its central characters while introducing readers to their identities and distinctive characteristics.

"Baldev Thapa has become the first Nepali epic poet to bring birds into an epic as major characters," they noted.

Introducing the work, poet Thapa said, "The call of the cuckoos signifies the revelation of relationships and connections among beings in the world."

He explained that the deeper meaning behind this symbolism, which has remained largely unexplored until now, becomes clear through the dialogue between the cuckoo and the crow.

The epic is divided into eleven cantos and is written in a dialogue style using everyday spoken language. It also includes a preface by litterateur and literary journalist Radheshyam Lekali.

Kaag-Koili is the fourth book authored by Thapa. Published by the Shabdayatra Publications, the book is priced at Rs. 400.

Prior to this, he had three books including Bako Bam and Matipuran.

Thapa has devoted more than half a century to journalism. He started his journalism career in 2032 BS. Born in 2007 BS in Gundu, Bhaktapur, he was the editor at various weekly newspapers including Saptahik Nepali Awaj.