Moti Laxmi Upasika

Moti Laxmi Upasika was the first woman short story writer of Nepal.

Moti Laxmi Upasika (Devanagari: मोतिलक्ष्मी उपासिका) (born Moti Laxmi Tuladhar) (30 June 1909 – 1997) was Nepal's first woman poet and short story writer of modern times. Her first work, a short story, was published in 1935.^[1]

Early life

Moti Laxmi Upasika (also spelled Motilakshmī Upāsikā) was born in Kathmandu to father Drabya Dhar and mother Gyan Laxmi Tuladhar. Her father was a merchant who owned a business house in Lhasa, Tibet. Her brother was poet Chittadhar Hridaya.^[2][3] She received informal education in Sanskrit, Pali and English.^[4]

Writing career

Upasika, who also wrote under the pen name M. Laxmi, published her first work in 1935, a story in the Nepali language entitled "Rodan". It appeared in Sharada magazine published from Kathmandu.

She started writing in Nepal Bhasa with a poem entitled "Chitta Panchhi" (meaning "Heart bird") and a story "Lan" ("Road") which were published in Dharmadoot in 1944.^[5] Dharmadoot was a Buddhist magazine published in Hindi by the Maha Bodhi Society from Sarnath, India. It also published contributions in Nepal Bhasa at the request of its subscribers in Nepal.^[6][7]

Though most of her essays deal with religious subjects, her writings have been described as a bridge between religious and free prose.^[8] Her essays are characterized by simple language and a powerful way of expressing her opinions.^[9]

Published works

• Motima (मोतिमा: "Garland of Pearls"), a collection of essays, 1958
• Chakhunchiya Sarbay (चखुंचिया सर्बय् "Sparrow's Property"), a collection of poems, 1993^[10]
• Moti Bakhan Puchah (मोति बाखं पुच: "Moti Collection of Stories"), a collection of short stories, 1994^[11]
• Utpalvarna (उत्पलवर्णा), a collection of Buddhist stories, 1995^[12]
• Dhaubaji (धौबजि "Yogurt and Rice Flakes"), a collection of essays, 1998

References