तप्प-तप्प जलबिन्दु चुहाएर के निस्कियौ
स्नीग्ध कञ्चन कोमल अहा ! नुहाएर के निस्कियौ
भाग्यमानी रै'छ साबुन फिँजैफिँज भै बरालियो
जुन साबुनलाई अङ्ग-अङ्ग छुहाएर के निस्कियौ
पानी पनि आगो बन्छ कामदेवको आशिष पाउँदा
जुन पानीमा यस्तो रूप डुबाएर के निस्कियौ
घामको कुरा नगरौँ भो टाँसियो घाम त्यै लुगामा
जुन लुगालाई भर्खर तिम्ले सुकाएर के निस्कियौ
त्यै गाँठोमा गाँठो पार प्रकटलाई ओ ! रूपसी
जुन गाँठोमा कोमल अङ्ग लुकाएर के निस्कियौ
This essay is part seven of the author's "Contemporary Nepali Literature: A Bird's Eye View."
Lyric as a distinct genre has a history of about five decades whereas ghazal has a history of over a century. Lyric existed as folk lore and religious hymns in the first half of the century. Lyric emerged as a literary genre in the fifties. Today's lyrics sing not only of love and betrayal but also of social life and human suffering. Lyricists are conscious enough to imbue their lyrics with literary colors and contents. A trend of writing lyrics not only to be sung but also to be read has evolved in Nepali literature. Publication of the anthology of lyrics is on the rise. The noted contemporary lyricists are Kiran Kharel, Ratnashamser Thapa, Prem Binod Nandan, Yadav Kharel, Ishwor Ballaw, Kali Prasad Rijal, Kshetra Pratap Adhikari, Ram Man Trishit, Rajendra Thapa, Ganesh Rasik, Hiraya Bhojpure, Daibagya raj Neupane, Bhim Birag, Krishna Prasad Parajuli, Shrawan Mukarung, Sashwat Parajuli, Suman Pokhrel etc.
Ghazal has been the most vibrant area of contemporary literary scene. This genre has attracted an amazing number of literary artists from the new generation although certain structural rules are to be observed while composing it. This is quite positive sign for Nepali ghazal. Having made a long journey from Motiram Bhatta to Upendra Bahadur Jigar to Bund Rana, Gyanuwakar Poudel, Manu Brajaki, Lalijan Rawal and from them to the new generation, Nepali ghazal has gained a shape and artistry. Love and praise of beauty of the beloved and also of nature are the classic and most suited themes of ghazal. Apart from them ghazal writers today also use ghazal as a vehicle for satire on and criticism of the evil side of human nature and society. One most important aspect to be noted here is that ghazals are pouring into this field but majority of those trying hand at it lack consciousness to impart quality that includes choice of soft words and musicality in their ghazals. This quality is essentially sought in the genre like this. There are some established names who have been writing ghazals with this sense in mind. Such writers are Bund Rana, Lalizan Rawal, Gyanuwakar Poudel, Mun Poudel, Pramod Snehi, Manu Brajaki, Shrestha Piya Patthar, Dhruba Madhikarmi, Jainendra Jeewan, Manu Manjil, Bibas Pokhrel, Shreedhar Kattel etc.
OTHER GENRES
There are other equally important and popular genres of prose one should not skip while discussing Nepali literature. Travel writing, which is one of them, is very popular and widely written in Nepal. Writers like Taranath Sharma, Ramesh Vikal, Ghanashyam Rajkarnikar, Madan Mani Dikshit, Shreekrishna Gautam and Manjul have written great works of travelogue. Bhisma Upreti, Yubaraj Nayaghare, Rashmishekhar, Gyanendra Bibas are some names from the younger generation.
Biography and literature for children demand separate space. I have not incorporated them in this brief write up. It is better to cover them in separate writing.
तिम्रो आँशु देखीदेखी दिलखोली हाँसूँ म कसोरी?
पिर ब्यथा बुझीबुझी दिलखोली नाचूँ म कसोरी?
तिमी हाँस्दा सब हाँस्छन् रूँदा रून्छन् नाता यो गजब्को
नाता यस्तो तोडीतोडी नयाँ नाता गाँसूँ म कसोरी?
मेरो आँखा भनूँ या भाका सबका सब तिमी नै हौ
तिम्रो पूजा छोडीछोडी देउता अरू पुजूँ म कसोरी?
मेरो तन भनूँ या मन जे भने पनि तिमी नै हौ
कुल आफ्नो भुलीभुली अन्तै कुल खोजूँ म कसोरी?
तिम्रै काखमा छ मायाको खानी र वर्षा अमृतको
स्वर्ग यस्तो छोडीछोडी अर्कै स्वर्ग खोजूँ म कसोरी?
अभिमन्यु 
बस्याल (सन्तोष)
उदास तिमी किन छौ मनको घाउ बल्झ्यो कि?
गहमा आँशु भरेर गलामै शब्द अल्झ्यो कि?
दुख्यो कि त मन सारै रोएर तिमी थाकेनौ
फुकाउँ भन्दा झनै पो उल्झनहरू उल्झ्यो कि?
नरूनु धेरै अब त रोएर काम बन्दैन
पुछेर आँशु सोच त उपाय कुनै सुल्झ्यो कि?
खै अरुकोमा कसरी आउँछ दशैं त्या’र मेरोमा त जमेर आउँछ
हरसाल लोकल बिजुलीपानीको झट्का बनी रोमरोममा छाउँछ
बढी भोल्टेज दिने सिलवाला पिउने पिलाउने बानी छैन क्या मेरो
भुन्टेकी आमाले दे’की दुई घुट्कोसँगै मेरो गलाले मालश्री गाउँछ
लोकल भन्या लोकलै हो त्यो त खाने अन्नबाट बन्या झोल पो हो त
ठर्राकोजस्तो झर्रो मजा सिलवाला एसिडको घोलमा खोजेर काँ’ पाउँछ ?
तिमीकन आफ्ना सारा, कथा भन्न सकिएन ।
हृदयका मर्म मेरा, व्यथा कन्न सकिएन ।।
तिम्रा लागी म त केवल, बलुवाको कण भएँ ।
आकाशमा चम्कने ती, तारा बन्न सकिएन ।।
बुढो वृक्ष सरी मेरो, मुटु भरी बेदना भो ।
पिरतिमा कोमल मन, पीडा धान्न सकिएन ।।
भावनाका पातहरु, कती सुकी झरी गए ।
रूख-मनी छरीएका, लता गन्न सकिएन ।।
देह मेरो जड भयो, आत्मा कतै उडी गयो ।
सोँच बिना जीवन यो, जीउँदो मान्न सकिएन ।।
मरिसकें तर पनि, बाध्यता यो रित भयो ।
धड्कनको धक्धकले, चिहान खन्न सकिएन ।।
-दिपेश श्रेष्ठ
थियौ साह्रै सोझी कलेज पढ्न काठमाडौंमा आकी तिमी
राम्री थियौ साह्रै लामो-लामो कुर्ता सुरुवाल लाकी तिमी!
कती छिटो बितिसकेछन दिनहरु आजकाल कती ठुलि भाकी तिमी
बिर्सिएछौ आतितहरु लत्याएर गाउघरलाई रेस्टुरांमा धाकी तिमी
टन्नै रहेछन साथीहरु boys-friend भन्दै अंगालो लाकी तिमी
ति म्रीगनयनी आँखा कालो चस्माले ढाकी चिन्नै नसक्ने भाकी तिमी
office भन्दै night duty ठमेलतिर डान्स बार धाकी तिमी
जानी नजानी whisky को तालमा English गीत गाकी तिमी
साह्रै राम्रो पहिरन रहेछ एक भिताको मिनिस्कट लाकी तिमी
हातमा चुरोट साथमा नभनौ एकाबिहानै कताबाट आकी तिमी
-ज्ञानु पन्त
