Nisthananda Bajracharya

December 9, 1858 (age 76)

Om Bahal, Kathmandu

He was one of the leaders of the Nepal Bhasa renaissance, and also a pioneer of printing with moveable type in Nepal. He is honored as one of the Four Pillars of Nepal Bhasa. His storytelling sessions were held in sacred courtyards and other open spaces and lasted four months. Bajracharya had a clear style of narrating stories which made him greatly popular. He adapted the ancient texts into easy-to-understand everyday language, as the old writing style had become complex to listeners. The written and spoken forms of Nepal Bhasa had begun to grow apart as its development came to an end around 1850 with the advent of the Rana dynasty. The Ranas did not like Nepal Bhasa and suppressed its use. By the time literary activities were revived during the Nepal Bhasa renaissance, the old style of writing had become difficult to follow. Bajracharya modernized the language by discarding the traditional spelling rules and writing it as it was spoken. He also brought a new style into prose writing by simplifying sentence construction. A bust of Bajracharya was erected at his birthplace Om Bahal, Kathmandu on 23 November 1998 by Olympus Club (Nisthananda Memorial Trust). A street in central Kathmandu was named Nisthananda Marg in his honor by Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Nisthananda Bajracharya

Edit Profile

author

Background

Bajracharya was born in Om Bahal, Kathmandu to father Muktananda and mother Thakumati Bajracharya.

Career

He was one of the leaders of the Nepal Bhasa renaissance, and also a pioneer of printing with moveable type in Nepal. He is honored as one of the Four Pillars of Nepal Bhasa. His storytelling sessions were held in sacred courtyards and other open spaces and lasted four months.

Bajracharya had a clear style of narrating stories which made him greatly popular.

He adapted the ancient texts into easy-to-understand everyday language, as the old writing style had become complex to listeners. The written and spoken forms of Nepal Bhasa had begun to grow apart as its development came to an end around 1850 with the advent of the Rana dynasty.

The Ranas did not like Nepal Bhasa and suppressed its use. By the time literary activities were revived during the Nepal Bhasa renaissance, the old style of writing had become difficult to follow.

Bajracharya modernized the language by discarding the traditional spelling rules and writing it as it was spoken.

He also brought a new style into prose writing by simplifying sentence construction. A bust of Bajracharya was erected at his birthplace Om Bahal, Kathmandu on 23 November 1998 by Olympus Club (Nisthananda Memorial Trust). A street in central Kathmandu was named Nisthananda Marg in his honor by Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Main Photo