Promoting Art And Literature

Lending literature a new life

Though unusually tight-lipped about his plethora of philanthropic activities, Basant Chaudhary has not succeeded in keeping the good work a secret. He has extended a helping hand to many in diverse domains of life – all his life.

Being a multi-faceted poet and writer of long standing and repute, Chaudhary has been committed to honouring and nurturing literature and the arts in all their forms. Perhaps closest to his heart is the Shree Lunkaran Das-Ganga Chaudhary Academy for Art and Literature which is named after his parents. The organisation honours both eminent and promising literati and artistes with cash awards and citations in five categories every year. This has enabled many budding and deserving artistes and writers to fulfil their creative aspirations and enrich Nepal’s world of letters.  

Established in 1995, the Academy is run by Basant Chaudhary Foundation (BCF) https://bcfnepal.org/about-us. It has recognized more than a hundred literary figures selected with the utmost transparency, honesty, and fairness by the internal board. The Academy also hosts seminars, symposia, and festivals that celebrate Nepali literature and art to ensure their continuous progress in contemporary times.

In 2000, Her Majesty the late Queen Aishwarya was in charge of the Pashupati Area Development Trust. She appointed Mr Chaudhary as a Member Secretary of the Trust. Later, he was entrusted with the executive authority of the Trust by His Majesty the former King Gyanendra. Watch Reviving Our Spirituality, a documentary about the development and conservation efforts in the Pashupati Monument Zone.

Mr Chaudhary recalls this as one of the most satisfying projects of his life. He took this as an opportunity to uplift the aesthetics and sanitation of the revered Hindu temple while also promoting religious tourism in Nepal. He wanted to promote Pashupatinath globally to draw more Hindu pilgrims to Nepal from across the world. 

During Mr Chaudhary’s tenure of five and a half years, the Trust cleared all 147 illegal houses and structures built around the temple’s premises and reacquired other encroached lands. After the demolition, the Trust, under his leadership, built new temple infrastructures and decorations, including landscaping. He also started e-Puja, an online portal to remotely perform prayers and rituals in Pashupatinath with its live telecast.

Many lovers of poetry often wonder how and why Basant Chaudhary started his Vishwa Kavya Yatra.

It was a fateful conversation way back on 20 April 2013 when he was releasing his book Megha in the United Kingdom. The honours were done by Nepal’s Ambassador to the UK, His Excellency Suresh Chalise, at a grand ceremony on the embassy’s premises. 

Towards the end of the literary event, a Nepali expatriate from the US, who was present on the occasion, suggested that similar events should be organised in the United States too. That got Mr Chaudhary thinking. While returning home, he drew out a plan for a series of poetry recitals for the Nepali diaspora, not only in the US but in several other countries. And thus began Basant Chaudhary’s Vishwa Kavya Yatra.

A big part of Mr Basant Chaudhary's literary journey has been print media. Besides poetry and songwriting, his other literary inclination was towards informing people. Providing everyday people with access to critical perspectives on the socio-economic ongoings of the country was his ultimate goal. This led him to publication work.

Print Media

• The Realm - Monthly News Magazine
• Urvashi - Monthly Entertainment Magazine
• Satta Weekly - Vernacular Weekly Newspaper
• The Independent - English Weekly Newspaper

Publication

• Sumpana Lyayeh – Edited By Dr Tara Nath Sharma
• Poetry Review Of Chandani Shah
• Ved Puran Ko Katha Haru - Edited By Late Ram Raj Paudyal
• Collection Of Mythological Short Stories - 1983