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Nepali Poets Share Love of Homeland at Jackson Heights Festival

By DNAinfo Staff on February 3, 2012 8:30pm

Noted Nepali poet Govinda Giri Prerana will read his works at the Nepali poem festival on Sun., Feb. 5, in Jackson Heights.
Noted Nepali poet Govinda Giri Prerana will read his works at the Nepali poem festival on Sun., Feb. 5, in Jackson Heights.
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Govinda Giri Prerana

JACKSON HEIGHTS — When Anjali Roka came to the United States in 2003, she tried to fit in with classmates by hiding parts of her heritage — particularly the rich culture from her native Nepal.

Her father, Binod, noticed the same trait in his other two children and knew something had to change. So he co-founded a series of poetry readings near the family's new neighborhood in Queens, hoping that younger generations who were born in Nepal would again appreciate the culture they had suppressed for so long.

"We want to preserve our culture," Roka said. "If you write poetry which other people can easily understand, that can be a powerful method."

On Sunday, Roka will attend perhaps the most popular edition of the series, the annual love poem festival, which begins at 4 p.m. at Chautari Restaurant on Roosevelt Avenue. The event, held every year around Valentine's Day, encourages Nepalis to express their romantic feelings not only about significant others, but also their home country.

Nepalis, like many new immigrants to Queens, the country's most diverse county, are constantly striking a difficult balance between adapting to American culture and hanging onto their own.

Organizers say the love poem readings, launched in 2010, have become a cherished emotional outlet for Queens residents who are homesick for Nepal.

"Poetry is one of the best mediums to express the feeling about our culture and our love of our nation," said festival co-founder and host Sahadev Poudel, who added that he has longed for Nepali culture since immigrating to Ridgewood, Queens, in 2004. He said he often thinks about his parents, who still live in Nepal.

Poudel, 33, runs an Internet radio station named Himali Sworharu that plans to broadcast the festival live. He said he will also post video clips from the event to the station's YouTube channel.

Organizers landed a noted Nepali poet, Govinda Giri Prerana, to headline the event. Prerana said he agreed to travel to the festival from his home in Virginia, since Queens' Nepali community is so strong.

Prerana's poetry offers a peek into the impoverished country. One poem he said he will read on Sunday includes references to the nation's most famous landmark, Mount Everest.

"Inflation was emergent in country," it reads. "As the chills of winter, Also was growing a mountain of ice in me, And it was aiming, To be taller than Everest."

Another participant, Bikash Bista, also shared a poem he plans to read.

"Oh Valentine's Day! I beg you with all my heart. Retreat the birds who are wandering around without a purpose," the poem reads. "Eliminate the ants with hot ash, who are celebrating around the house. Hold and support the old house which will crash. Rescue the nest and lovely flock of birds. Let the flowers bloom, and let it spread the scent of those flowers in the garden."

Bista, who left Nepal in 2008 to live in Woodside, Queens, said moving to New York City at a time when the borough's Nepali community is growing has eased his transition. He said events like the poetry festival help him maintain a connection to his native land.

"Everyone needs their country's culture, their tradition," said Bista, 36. "We are thinking always of our country."

Poudel said the timing of the festival, which runs until 6 p.m., ensures the audience can make it home in time for the Super Bowl kickoff at 6:25 p.m. But football, he added with a laugh, is one of the few American pastimes that Nepalis haven't embraced yet.

Admission is free for the love poem festival at Chautari Restaurant at 74-15 Roosevelt Avenue.