Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota remembered in Nepal and abroad; Programs organized to mark his birth anniversary

107th birth anniversary of the grand icon of Nepali literature Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota was celebrated across the country and abroad organizing various programs today. Devkota was born on Kartik Krishna Pakchya, Laxmipuja of 1966 BS at Dillibazaar, Kathmandu. Devkota, popularly addressed as ‘Mahakavi - the great poet', has had a colossal influence on Nepali literature, and is often credited with setting a new trend in Nepali literary writing, with his powerfully expressed ideas, soul-stirring stories and his willingness to depart from the conventional writing styles in his works. To go with his unmatched skills as a writer, Devkota was also extraordinarily prolific. The fact that he completed writing Sulochana, one of his popular epics, in a matter of 10 days is still a part of the legends of Nepali literature. Besides poetry, he also made significant contributions to the essay genre. He is considered the father of the modern Nepali essay. He defied the conventional form of essays by blatantly breaking the rules of grammar and syntax, and embracing a more fluid and colloquial style. His essays are generally satirical in tone and are characterized by their trenchant humor and ruthless criticism of the modernizing influences from the West in the Nepali society. During his tenure as the Education Minister in the year 2016 BS, Devkota made compulsory teaching of Nepali language across the country and also made major contributions towards establishment of Nepal Academy. However, despite such contributions in Nepali literature, he had to live a life full of hardships.