Man in Bhanu Bhakta’s guise to scale Mt Everest with Ramayan in his hand

Kathmandu / July 12: He dresses himself in Daura Suruwal, with Patuka around his waist and a shawl across the shoulder. Slipping into the guises of Adikavi Bhanu Bhakta, he carries a Rayaman scripture in his hand and dashes off one litterateur’s place to another as well as literary institutions in the same guise for promotion and propagation of Nepali literature.

Meet the man on a mission, Laxman Sapkota of Kavrepalanchowk who aspires to scale the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest, next year with the same objective.

Donning the guise of Bhanu Bhakta, the 55-year-old litterateur recently completed a 1,475 kilometers long purposeful odyssey during which he held meetings with national poet Madhav Ghimire at his residence at Lainchaur to senior cultural expert Satya Mohan Joshi at Bankhu Bahal in Lalitpur and went to the numerous literary institutions.

On the completion of his odyssey today, national poet Ghimire recited some verse of the epic Ramayan relating to Lord Rama and princess Sita in Treta era (Yug) and extended best wishes to Sapkota for his ascent of Mt Everest, locally known as Sagaramatha.

He aims to reach atop the 8,848 metres peak with Ramayan in his hand in commemoration of the first modern poet of Nepali language, Bhanu Bhakta who translated Sanskrit-written Ramayan in to Nepali.

Sapkota has already climbed the two mountains measuring above 6,000 metres, a prerequisite for Everest ascent.

Centenarian cultural expert Joshi noted that the contributions of Bhanu Bhakta are very significant for the development of Nepali language and literature.

He maintained that the new generation should be inspired from the life and times of Bhanu Bhakta to promote Nepali language and literature.

Wrap-up of Sapkota’s 1,475 KM march for the reason was organized by Nepal Academy, Sajha Prakashan, Madan Purashkar Guthi among other literary institutions, according to Academy’s Secretary-general Hrishav Ghimire.

The nation is marking the 204th birth anniversary of Aadikavi Bhanubhakta Acharya who was born in Chundi Ramgha of Tanahun district. RSS