Originally published: 1964
Author: Parijat
Pages: 65
Genre: Novel
Language: Nepali
Original title: शिरीषको फूल
Also Known as Blue Mimosa in English Version.
Shirish Ko Phool is a novel written by prominent Nepali writer Parijat and also published in the English language as The Blue Mimosa.The novel is highly acclaimed in Nepali literature and has also been adapted in the literature curriculum of some colleges in some English speaking countries.
Shirish Ko Phool is a welcome break from Nepal’s generally politically focused literature. The story, written by Bishnu Kumari Waiba, better known by her pen name Parijat, has no political underpinnings and is not affected by politics in any manner. Despite the fact that the book is only sixty pages long, it has the potential to have a significant impact on the readers.
The story sings with suffering, and the book’s harsh irony will linger with readers for a long time. Its main strengths are the characters with whom people can identify and the fact that it is a book with a heart. What sets the book unique from others is its bitter and sorrowful tale, as well as its exploration into the deepest thoughts of the main character, who has a global character.
Shirish ko Phool is set in the background of the narrator, Suyog Bir Singh, who is also a former World War soldier, going through a mid-life crisis. He has no one to call his family or friends because he lives an uninteresting and uncelebrated existence in a vacuum (sunya), which is why he puts all of his bitterness into alcohol. He frequently visits a bar for a drink, where he meets Shivaraj, a younger drinking companion who invites Suyog to his home, where he meets Sakambari, a sixteen-year-younger woman with whom he develops feelings.
Sakambari is depicted in the book as the Shirish (from which the book’s title is derived), a flower that blooms and brings warmth to the chilly planet. Suyog is overcome with self-hatred as a result of his passion for Sakambari. His sense of love and the fact that life is painful shakes him to his core. Sakambari, like a flower, withers away and falls to the ground.
The book is not about triumph, but about a life that is empty and pointless, as well as a toxic love for a woman. Sakambari is portrayed as a powerful, independent, and spiteful lady with atheistic views who despises appearing weak in front of her male counterparts, whereas Suyog is a poor mortal who believes Sakambari is stronger than him. The book’s language is understandable, despite the fact that it is incredibly poetic. Shirish ko Phool by Parijat is one of the best novels in Nepali language and a must-read. It’s also known as The Blue Mimosa in English, and it’s taught in various university courses.
