The poem "New Nepal" by Siddhicharan Shrestha is a thought-provoking work of literature. With its themes of courage, caution, and unity, this poem offers a powerful message about the future of Nepal. In this blog article, we will explore the meaning and interpretation of "New Nepal" and consider the important message it conveys. Through exercises, questions and answers, and a comprehensive summary, students will have a deeper understanding of this poem and the themes it explores.
About the poem New Nepal and the poet Siddhicharan Shrestha
The poem 'New Nepal'
is set in the background of the century-old Rana regime. The very period was characterized by confusion and chaos in Nepalese society. During the time, Nepal observed extreme exploitation upon poor,
illiterate, and marginalized Nepalese. The Ranas enjoyed their absolute power and seized all the freedom
of the common people. Inequalities, injustices, domination, cruelty, and
autocracy were deeply rooted in almost all sectors. People realized a dire need
for revolution to overcome such severe exploitation. However, very few people
dared to raise their voices against that inhuman treatment.
Siddhicharan's poem 'New Nepal' reflects the hopes and
frustration of medieval society in the transition toward modernity. Seeing the
plight of the people under the Rana rule, Shrestha advocated for a drastic
change in society. The poem 'New Nepal'
was written during the period when Nepal went through the birth pangs of a new
social order. Seeing the pathetic condition of the people under the Rana rule,
Siddhicharan Shrestha spoke for the need of revolution and thus he publicly
urged people to revolt against the Ranas. The Ranas considered him a threat. So
the Rana rulers sentenced Mr. Shrestha to jail for 18 years for writing
revolutionary poems.
Due to Shrestha’s rebellious writing, he is considered to be
a revolutionary poet, and the poem 'New Nepal' is taken as a political
reformation poem.
Summary of New Nepal
New Nepal, the poem by Siddhicharan Shrestha,
is a translated version of the original poem 'Naya Nepal'. The poem has been translated by Shreedhar Lohani. In this political poem, the speaker makes a
strong call to raise voices against the then Rana rule. The speaker seems to be a rebel who urges for freedom,
self-respect, and equality. In the poem, the poet
encourages the people to speak against all sorts of tyranny that exist in society.
People, during Rana's rule, were too timid to raise their
voices against the Ranas because if anyone tried to speak, they would be punished severely. People were not
courageous enough to revolt against the Ranas due to the massive domination of the past. Since the Ranas maintained fear, no one dared to speak against
them. So, through the poem, the poet wanted to inspire common people to speak
for their rights and freedom and ultimately overthrow the Rana regime.
New Nepal stanza-wise Summary
In the first stanza, the poet appeals to all the Nepalese to
speak the truth. He urges to unfold the hidden miseries and rebel against the
prevalent domination, discrimination, and injustice.
In the second stanza, the poet energizes people to rebel like
an unstoppable and continuous stream /river and challenge all the obstacles of
their journey /struggle. He asks people to overcome all those obstacles with
joint effort and that way it becomes easier to overthrow long-rooted cruelty
and injustice.
In the third stanza, the poet asks people to set free the
long-suppressed courage to fight against age-long persecution. Bravery, courage
and fearlessness should come forth to enlighten people in order to overthrow
worn-out social disorder.
In the fourth stanza, the poet pleads not to stop the newly
begun struggle (advancing steps) to remove the social evils. Those advancing steps
require support and energy to accomplish the targeted goal. The poet requests
almighty to bless them with courage along with caution. Caution is required to
control overwhelming feelings, emotions, and anxieties.
In the fifth stanza, the poet talks about long-practiced
distasteful rituals such as untouchability and casteism. He adds that
untouchability and casteism are a hindrance to social progress and thus
required to be eliminated forever from every society. Not only those social
evils but also the social hierarchy, injustice, domination, and dictatorship
should also be abolished. That is how socially exploited, marginalized, and minority
people's social status can be uplifted. The poet thinks that there should be
intellectual discussion to abolish such inhuman tradition.
In the last stanza, the poet takes a rather serious issue. He
says that a hungry and bareback person cannot contribute to amending social
disorder. They are concerned to quench their hunger. A hungry person can go to
any extent to fulfill their basic needs i. e. food, shelter, and clothes.
He/she can't distinguish right and wrong while being hungry and thus they
disregard all sorts of morality. So, in New Nepal, hungry stomachs and
barebacks cannot survive. In order to live a decent and respectable life, every
person needs food, clothes, and shelter without which revolution cannot take
place and the dream of New Nepal can never come true.
New Nepal Poem by Shiddicharan Shrestha in Nepali
|
English |
Nepali |
|
Arise!
Wake up! Reveal
the hidden O
New Nepal Speak
up truth and beauty! |
जागिदेऊ, विम्झिदेऊ गुप्त जे छन् खोलिदेऊ सत्य, सुन्दर बोलिदेऊ हे नयाँ नेपाल हाम्रो । |
|
Let
the cleanest current of consciousness Gush
forth with vigour O
New Nepal Jump up and soar over This
black uphill precipice.
|
प्रबल गतिले बग्न देऊ स्वच्छतम्
चैतन्य धारा यो विषम कालो उकाली नाघिदेऊ फड्किदेऊ हे नयाँ नेपाली हाम्रो । |
|
Set free
the courage Stifled
with age-long persecution O New
Nepal Send
packing the worn-out disorder With
furious laughter. |
धेरै दिनको दलनद्वारा युग गुगान्तरदेखि रुद्ध सौर्य हाम्रो जागि देऊ क्रुद्ध हाँसोमा उडाई जीर्ण बेथित झारिदेऊ हे नयाँ नेपाल हाम्रो । |
|
Let the
advancing foot Take the
new step To bring
forth the bright day O New
Nepal Bless us
with courage and caution Power
and union. |
बढ्न लागेको नवीन कदम हाम्रो बढ्न देऊ दिन उज्यालो तान्नलाई जोश देऊ होश देऊ हे नयाँ नेपाल हाम्रो । |
|
Distasteful
rituals Heartless
class divisions Away
with all such idle forces O New
Nepal Let the
living thoughts Resplendent
within Nepali hearts Conflagrate
and open up. |
मन नपर्दो रीतभात हृदय लुट्ने वर्गजात व्यर्थको केको दबाब झुल्कने जाज्वल्यमान भित्रका जिउँदा बिचार सकल नेपाली हृदयका बल्न देऊ, खुल्न देऊ हे नयाँ नेपाल हाम्रो । |
|
Those
not-to-be done acts Performed
in desperation Under
the cankerous inequality of wealth By
hungry stomachs and bare backs Annihilate
all such evil elements O New
Nepal! |
गर्ननहुने
कर्म के के विवशताले गर्नलाई पेट भोको, देह नाङ्गो विषम सम्पतिले दबाई मनुजताको
¥हास पार्ने तत्व सारा मासि देऊ हे नयाँ नेपाल हाम्रो। |
New Nepal Questions Answer
Answer: Who is the intended audience of the poem New Nepal? Who is the speaker?
The intended audience of the poem "New Nepal" is the people of Nepal, particularly those who are concerned about the future of the country and who seek to bring about change. The speaker is not specified, but it can be inferred that the speaker is someone who is passionate about the future of Nepal and wants to inspire others to join in the effort to bring about positive change.
What is the general context of the poem New Nepal?
Answer: The general context of the poem "New Nepal" is the desire for a new and better future for Nepal, a country that has faced many challenges in the past, including poverty, inequality, and political instability.
Why is courage stifled? What is the effect of such a stifling?
Answer: Courage is stifled because it has been suppressed for a long time due to age-long persecution. The effect of such stifling is that people are afraid to speak out and take action to bring about change.
In the poem “New Nepal” what does the poet call for and who does he call?
Answer: The poet calls for the people of Nepal to awaken, to reveal the truth and beauty that lies within them, and to take action to bring about a better future for their country. The poet calls on all Nepali people to work together to overcome the challenges they face and to build a brighter future.
What is the theme of the poem New Nepal?
Answer: The theme of the poem "New Nepal" is hope and the possibility for positive change in Nepal. The poem is a call to action for the people of Nepal to awaken and work together to bring about a better future for their country.
What are the evil elements referred to in the poem ‘New Nepal’?
Answer: The evil elements referred to in the poem "New Nepal" are the negative forces that have held back the country and its people, such as poverty, inequality, and political instability. The poet calls for these forces to be destroyed so that the people of Nepal can move forward towards a brighter future.
Write a character sketch of the type of person the speaker is based on what he says in the poem.
Answer: The speaker of the poem "New Nepal" is someone who is passionate and hopeful about the future of Nepal. The speaker is likely someone who is deeply committed to bringing about positive change in their country and who is willing to work hard to achieve that goal.
What is the tone and mood of the poem New Nepal?
Answer: The tone and mood of the poem "New Nepal" are hopeful and inspiring. The speaker is urging the people of Nepal to awaken and work together to build a better future, and the mood is one of encouragement and optimism.
What do “Heartless class divisions” refer to?
Answer: "Heartless class divisions" refers to the division of people based on their wealth or social status, which the poet believes is harmful and disruptive to society. The poet calls for these divisions to be destroyed so that the people of Nepal can work together towards a common goal.
What wrongs of “Old Nepal” does the poet want “New Nepal “to amend?
Answer: The poet wants "New Nepal" to amend the wrongs of "Old Nepal," such as poverty, inequality, and political instability. The poet is calling for a new and better future for the country and its people, one that is free of these negative forces.
The poem ‘New Nepal’ reads like a prayer. Do you agree? Give reasons.
Answer: The poem "New Nepal" does read like a prayer, in the sense that the speaker is asking for something to happen and is appealing to a higher power for help. The speaker is calling on the people of Nepal to awaken and work together to build a better future, and this call to action can be seen as a form of prayer or request.
What is the central message of the poem "New Nepal"?
Answer: The central message of the poem is a call to action for the people of Nepal to work towards creating a better future for their country.
What does the author express frustration with in the current state of Nepal?
Answer: The author expresses frustration with the distasteful rituals, heartless class divisions, and cankerous inequality of wealth in the current state of Nepal.
What is the author's call to action for the Nepali people?
Answer: The author's call to action for the Nepali people is to come together and reject the outdated and oppressive forces that have held them back, and to work towards a common goal of creating a brighter future for their country.
How does the author convey his message in the poem?
Answer: The author conveys his message in the poem through powerful imagery and language, such as calling for the people of Nepal to "speak up truth and beauty" and "jump up and soar over" their current hardships.
Important words in the poem that expresses unjust in the then Nepali society
"age-long persecution"
"worn-out disorder"
"cankerous inequality of wealth"
"performed in desperation"
"evil elements"
The above words and phrases suggest that the people of Nepal have been oppressed for a long time, with a chaotic and unjust system. This very situation has resulted in poverty and desperation for many. The use of words like "persecution" and "evil elements" indicate the oppressive nature of the current state of the country, and the call to "annihilate" these elements shows the urgency of the situation. These words convey a sense of tyranny in the current state of Nepal. It also highlights the need for the Nepali people to take action and create a better future for their country.
Some important expressions used in the poem to understand the theme and message
"age-long persecution" - This phrase refers to a long period of time during which the people of Nepal have been oppressed or subjected to unjust treatment.
"worn-out disorder" - This phrase refers to a state of confusion and chaos that has become outdated and needs to be changed.
"cankerous inequality of wealth" - This phrase refers to a state of affairs in which wealth is distributed in an unfair and corrupt manner, leading to unequal access to resources and opportunities.
"performed in desperation" - This phrase refers to actions taken by people who are in a state of desperation, with little choice or hope for a better future.
"annihilate all such evil elements" - This phrase refers to the need to completely destroy or eliminate negative or oppressive forces in order to create a better future.