Modernist Quest in Devkota’s Poetry

Abstract

Devkota has been celebrated as the great poet. He is examined as the leading Nepali romantic writer. There is something rather strange about this, because what is so extraordinary about his greatness is not methodologically presented. He is a central poet of modern tradition and versatile genius who breaks with tradition, establishes his own tradition of modern Nepali literature and lives up to his own definition of the poets and poetry. His writing is not merely an expression of emotions and feelings. Instead, it examines human life and reflects philosophy of inclusion. This paper examines poetry of Devkota to answer where and how he breaks with tradition to establish tradition of modern Nepali literature. Bhikhari and Laxmi Kabitasangraha have been selected and studied with great care to interpret the poet and his thoughts at his best and relate him with issues of philosophy and culture. My aim has been not so much to narrate Devkota's poetry as to explain it, so as to bring it within the focus of western and eastern thought. Though is not fully based on any informed theory, it depends upon an interdisciplinary approach to analyze Devkota's tradition of modern poetry.