वीर चरित्र [Bir Charitra]

by Girish Ballabh Joshi, गिरीशवल्लभ जाेशी

‘चार जना डोलेले बोकेको उलिनकाठमा चढेर काठमाण्डूका साँघुरो सडकमा उनी प्रायः देखिन्थे रे! त्यसमा पनि फसिकेवको पशुपत प्रेस उनको घर जाने बाटैमा हुनाले त्यता उनी नित्यै जस्तो पुग्थे भन्दछन्। उनी सारै स्थूल शरीरका थिए। यसउसले धेरै घुमफिर गर्न सक्दैनथे। त्यसै हुँदा उनको मनबहलाउको साधन पढाइ र लेखाइ नै हुनगएको थियो।’ २०२२ सालमा ‘वीर चरित्र’ को पूरै चार भाग पहिलो पटक छाप्दा जगदम्बा प्रकाशनले यसरी चिनाएको थियो आफ्ना लेखकलाई।गिरीशवल्लभ पेशाले कवि या लेखक थिएनन्, कविराज थिए, आयुर्वेदका धुरन्धर। तर हिन्दीका लोकप्रिय तिलस्मी उपन्यासहरू पढेर अनुकरण गर्दागर्दै उपन्यासकार हुनपुगे उनी। धारावाहिक रूपमा आउने ‘चन्द्रकान्ता’ र ‘चन्द्रकान्ता सन्तति’ पढ्दै जाँदा तिनमा उनी यति लट्टु भए, त्यसका लेखक देवकीनन्दन खत्रीका ‘फ्यान’ नै हुनपुगे। कतिसम्म भने उनले आफ्नो छोराको नाम समेत ‘देवकीनाथ’ राखिदिए अनि आफूले पनि जासूसी (ऐच्चयारी) उपन्यास लेख्न थाले। त्यसैको उपज हो उनको उपन्यास ‘वीर चरित्र’। तर यो कुनै हिन्दी किताबको अनुवाद होइन। मौलिक र नेपालीपनले ओतप्रोत यो रहरलादो उपन्यास हाम्रो भाषाको पहिलो उपन्यास नै हुनपुग्यो!

525 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1965

Reviews

[Anshu Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used to read this book when I was a kid. In fact, I read and re-read it so often my dad had to hide the book so that I'd read something else and one day the book was lost. I finally found this book after years of search. It's still as good as I remember it. It's just awe-inspiring that someone 100+ years ago thought of such developed and magical Nepal. For the first ever novel written in Nepali language, this book is just beyond its years. Sadly, we are nowhere near the author's imagined Nepal but the book is still awesome as ever.

[Sabin Chhetri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girish Ballabh Joshi, by profession, was an Ayurvedic physician with no prior connection to literature. Yet, he harbored a deep interest in stories involving ghosts, spirits, magic, and the mystical. A devoted reader, he was particularly fond of Devaki Nandan Khatri, the renowned Indian author of the romantic novel Chandrakanta. Immersed in such tales, Joshi eventually felt inspired to pen a similar story of his own. The result of that inspiration was Veer Charitra.

Written around 122 years ago, Veer Charitra holds the distinction of being Nepal’s very first novel. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that it came not from a seasoned writer, but from someone entirely new to the literary world.

The novel showcases Joshi’s extraordinary imagination. Long before concepts like ships, trains, and modern infrastructure became part of Nepal’s everyday conversation, Joshi had already envisioned them in his work.

Being over a century old, the language used in Veer Charitra naturally differs from modern Nepali. However, it remains accessible and not overly difficult to understand.

If one sets aside the slightly dated linguistic style, the novel offers a truly captivating read.

And as Nepal’s first novel, it’s certainly a valuable gem, to have in your book collection.

[Binigya Dahal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nepal's oldest novel is one of a kinds. Imbued with sheer imagination and colorful characters, it is full of acts of heroism, bravery, deception and ultimately, redemption.
Joshi has successfully permeated the vibes of Lok-katha (folktales) in this epic tale, with magic, demons and beautiful princesses playing major roles in his work.
All in all, Bir Charitra is an ultimate work of fiction in the history of Nepali literature, and deserves to be read by every fiction lover.
The only caveat is that being the oldest novel in Nepal, it shows its age. Some words require inspection of the dictionary and the writing style is aged and not suited for everyone.
Nevertheless, for a fiction lover looking to indulge in some adventures and read one of Nepal's finest and oldest works, this is a must read.

[Sewa]

My review is wayyyy too long for Goodreads re, so you find the full review here

https://sewabhattarai.wixsite.com/sew...

[a.d. · Rating 3 out of 5]

[cw: informed heavily by its society and conventions, the narrative is riddled with sexism and casteism]
(arguably,) the first nepali novel ... strong influences of classics like the Arabian Nights ... Ramayan and Mahabharat ... Chandrakanta ... i also detected homeric influences (i kid you not : a witch who lures and seduces men and then turns them to stone – Circe, hello! – and a protagonist trying to return to his parents/home and in the meantime flirting left and right and checking out women like taking walk at a grocer's)
Interesting bit: this sci-fi fantasy roller coaster predates the West's canon LOTR by half-a-century.
contemporary with HG Wells and Einstein, there are scenes of inter-galactic, inter-dimensional travels. aeroplanes before they were invented in 1903... ships and paved roads. electricity...
the novel is truly ahead of its time.
or was. certainly unseen in Nepali literature.
the book is a fantastical fever dream, where geography has little do besides nominally. mystical creatures, half-man-half-beasts (the titular Bir?) appear alongside witches and floating gardens. aeroplanes had not been invented yet but characters fly among the stars on vimans. people openly proposition each other for sex, or fantasise about it at least. the explosion of blood, pus, semen and gore rivals the greek plays (and the latter didn't even show violence on-stage). it is so wild that even contemporary sensibilities might blush on occasion.
what's more ! there is no rhyme nor reason, and i mean this in earnest, to the ordeals that befall its bahun protagonist and his family. the actions are often accidental, co-incidental, and descriptions read like utility lists. but therein the inventory of imagination (and my, what imagination the author has!) is the richness of a South Asian culture and legendarium. and, of course, also the critique of autocracy and authoritarianism. (Nepal was at the time of the book's writing under the hereditary rule of the Ranas, which saw brothers instead of sons become prime ministers and de facto rulers of the country. it was a time, historians widely agree, of tyranny which put Nepal back centuries in terms of progress, education and individual freedoms.)

the book is a strange little creature which offers an unrivalled look into the mind of a poet and a creator ; a divinely inspired madness, almost – and the society. the discomfort to me came not from the bodily fluids that so liberally spurt everywhere; but from the casual dig against women who make choices for themselves, against the marginalised and Indigenous populace. high chances: joshi did not even think about these things while writing, to him anyone who was not a brahmin almost certainly appeared fair-game, or worse: like nothing at all.
there is a lot to unpack in these pages: a lot to contextualise and deconstruct, and to be flippant about its content can only serve one purpose at a time. it is a transformative risk, and an inventive mess.

[Aashwin Bhushal · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is set in fantasy world where humans encounter with Rakshasas, demons, Nagas(people from serpent world), fairies, wizards and witches, Bhoots(ghost). Despite being mythological in nature it has elements of modern world transportation(trains, hot air balloons) , military equipments (guns, cannons),water pumps etc.
The publication claims it was first written and published in 1960 B.S.(1904 A.D). It was ahead of its time in many aspects but has few objectionable women representation instances.
It has love, war, magic, military strategy, deception, bravery and more combined with classical folktales of Nepal. The story is adventure and scale at which war takes place is simply phenomenal.
I read it to get further insights into Nepali mythology and it provided me a lot of new mythological creatures and stories.