Kathmandu- Poet and lyricist Pushpa Khanal stands among the vibrant voices of contemporary Nepali literature. Though she resides abroad, her pen continues to gather the light and longing of her homeland. The recipient of several honors including the World Songwriter Award (2080)-Top 10 Finalist for Pop Song, the Jyoti Films Music Award (2079) for Best Lyricist-Lok-pop Song, the Sagarmatha Music Award (2078) for Best Modern Female Lyricist, the Young Mind Entertainment Award (2076) for patriotic composition, and the Madhav Prasad Ghimire Special Honor (2077), Khanal’s creative imprint spans albums, song collections, poetry, and a stream of published works in print and digital platforms. Her recent audio-visual releases, Euta Majhi and Jindagi Ta Jiunanai Parchha, have drawn much appreciation. In an effort to shine a light on women who diligently contribute to literature, society but remain in the shadows, she has established the Damanta Khanal Memorial Women Litterateur Honor. This prestigious prize is awarded annually on the 9th day of Baisakh to those deserving women who lack recognition in the kingdom of literature.
In this conversation with Himalayadairy.com Editor in Chief, Ranjana Niraula she reflects on her creative journey, the weight of distance, and the endurance of language and love.
- Although you live in abroad, you remain consistently active in Nepali literature and music. How has living abroad influenced your creative life?
Life in a foreign land is not merely about geographical distance; it is a journey of repeatedly encountering oneself. After coming here, I learned to see my own existence from distance. From afar, the fragrance of one’s soil, the language, and culture appear even clearer. Emotions, too, become more sharply defined.
The intense sensitivities that arise within me longing, love, memory find expression in poems and songs. Distance seems to widen the sky of feeling. While living far from one’s homeland sometimes feels like being pushed by time itself, creativity gathers and steadies me again. I live in that balance, and from it I draw my creative energy. These experiences and emotions are the very heartbeat of my work.
- How challenging is life in the abroad, and how does it shape the tone of your poems and songs?
Life abroad is a tangle. You try to escape it, yet you end up right there again. New struggles, unfamiliar experiences, and questions of identity constantly pull at you. Carrying one’s homeland on one’s shoulders while running the race of double responsibility is no small task. Yet the abroad has given me more insight than sorrow. It has taught me that challenges are not only hardship; they are also forms of self-address. Struggle has strengthened my words. Work, time, language, attire, and cultural distance each has sharpened the sensitivities in my writing.
- How do you view the contribution of Nepali writers living abroad? And how well is their work valued in Nepal?
Writers from abroad are gradually becoming an essential pillar of Nepali literature. Nepalese scattered across the world are carrying the Nepali language to distant corners, preserving culture and identity. Keeping a language alive in foreign soil is to keep Nepali identity alive.
These writers are guardians of Nepali creativity and also work actively to pass it on to the next generation. It is not an easy task. Yet they are fully committed.
They establish language schools, conduct classes, and give literary training to ensure their children inherit the language. They speak only Nepali at home to cultivate linguistic habit. Organizing various competitions, awards, and honors, transnational literature has been supporting and energizing writers at home and abroad fulfilling a role that the nation itself ought to play. Most importantly, beyond finances, they bring creative remittance back to the homeland.
Compared to the past, the value of transnational literature is now gradually changing in Nepal. Works written abroad are receiving awards. This proves that powerful writing exists in the abroad as well. Much of this recognition, however, comes from literary organizations rather than the state. Institutional acknowledgment from the government is still lacking, and it deserves attention. Readers and audiences, however, have offered immense love and that is the greatest reward.
- What themes and messages do your recently released songs Euta Majhi and Jindagi Ta Jiunanai Parchha convey?
Euta Majhi speaks of morality and integrity in love. Just as a boatman cannot steer two boats at once, a family cannot survive in dual behavior. The song teaches that one must recognize obstacles and opportunities in life, or else one risks drowning.
Love is eternal; it happens unexpectedly. But love should not become a means of breaking families. Love should make life easier.
Jindagi Ta Jiunanai Parchha views struggle through the lens of beauty and hope. It reflects the harsh realities of the present—changing times, unfulfilled desires, economic hardship, broken dreams, and yet the courage to rise again. It is written from a place of acceptance: struggle is not to be avoided but faced. It carries the message that one must learn to confront every circumstance. It says life has to go on.
- What inspires your songwriting most—personal experience, society, or imagination?
In short, all three. A creator writes from the center of own experiences and emotions. When real-life joy and sorrow blend with the wings of imagination, songs are born. Society gives stories, experience gives soul, and imagination adds color. A song emerges from the harmony of all three.
- Your songs often portray life, love, and struggle. Are these drawn from your personal feelings?
Certainly, though not entirely. Parijat used to say that emotional truth is the strength of writing and I agree. At some point or another in life, every soul experience trials of existence. Naturally, they appear in my songs. Creation is born from both heart and mind. My songs are the silent cracks of my heart and the shapes of my perception formed not only from experience but also from reflection and imagination. They are colors that slip through the walls of emotion and take flight.
- How has your experience been working with musicians? And is there a song closest to your heart?
I consider myself fortunate to have found musicians who breathe life into my words. Their professionalism and warmth have enriched my creations. I am deeply grateful to all of them.
A creator should not discriminate among their own works. They all blossom closest to the heart. Yet if I must name one, it would be Ama! Male Pujne Dev Timi, written after my mother passed away. Composer Laxman Shesh Dai said it was difficult even for him to arrange. I myself cannot listen to it in full. Perhaps that is the one closest to me.
- You are active in both poetry and songwriting. How do you experience the differences and similarities between the two?
A poem is a free, unobstructed flight. A song, however, must bind itself to rhythm, melody, and structure, yet that very discipline helps it reach the masses. Both emerge from the heart, and their essence is emotion. A poem is defined by the depth it carries, whereas a song is defined by how alive and vivid it feels.
- Your poems depict the inner world of women, separation, and self-sensitivity. Why do these themes resonate with you?
I am a woman, so naturally the feminine mind appears in my writing. But that is not the only reason. A woman’s inner world is a universe of memory, endurance, and endless grief. It feels both my social and emotional duty to give voice to her silence, pain, and courage.
Moreover, feminine experience in Nepali society is often suppressed. Many women cannot break their silence, and even when they do, society criticizes or dismisses them. Through my words, I want to illuminate that invisible geography of women’s hearts where pain exists, but so does the strength that conquers it.
- Your poems use simple language but carry deep meaning. Is this a deliberate choice?
Yes. Writing in a way readers cannot understand feels unjust to them. Literature’s importance lies in meaningful emotion, not complicated language. Simplicity does not diminish depth; it brings readers closer. A good poem must not only be understood, it must be felt. Though simple language is not easy, expressing profound emotion in accessible words is an art, and I embrace that challenge.
- What is your perspective on young contemporary poets and their writing?
Today’s young writers are energetic and bold. They research, explore, and innovate in theme, technique, and language. Technology empowers them, though it also presents challenges.
This is the age of Artificial Intelligence. We cannot escape it. But careless use of AI threatens the originality of literature. Technology is a tool. If misused, it produces imitation, not creation. Preserving originality, safeguarding literature, and protecting language and culture for future generations is their responsibility too.
If this new generation writes with such awareness, their continuity will nourish Nepali literature. Slow, thoughtful exploration not sudden, fleeting virality, is what Nepali literature needs today. I hope young writers fill that gap.
- Are you preparing a new poetry or song collection?
Some of my songs have already been released. A few more poems and songs are written but remain in my diary. They are not yet ready as a book. Plans are many, but for a person abroad, time and energy are always in short supply. Some Dreams lie buried in the depths of time. Perhaps it will take a little more time before they reach readers.
- Who has inspired your creative journey?
I’ve mentioned some inspirations already. The literary figures I read in childhood have undoubtedly shaped me. But above all, life itself, every breath I take, every breath I release, the environment around me, society, time, and personal experience have been my greatest teachers. Responsibility, too, urges the pen forward and teaches the ink to flow.
- What kind of energy do awards and honors give you?
Awards are fuel for writing. They increase one’s sense of duty, bring new challenges, and inspire deeper sincerity. They feel like the insulin that keeps creativity alive and active.
- How do you view the role of transnational writers in Nepali literature and music?
Transnational Writers are the “invisible ambassadors” of Nepali cultural identity. Wherever we live, we carry Nepali-ness in our songs, poems, language, and traditions. A transnational creator is a wanderer searching for home in foreign soil. There is no measurement for our love of language. To carve words out of stolen moments and fill them with emotion is a powerful task and that is what we do.
The abroad is not only a site of creation but also a marketplace for Nepali art. Even if creations are fewer, the Nepali music industry thrives largely because of the transnational Nepali. Scattered across the globe, Nepali people have carried Nepali rhythm and melody to the world.
- Your message to readers and listeners?
Readers and listeners are discerning evaluators of creativity. Today’s audiences are intellectual and capable of measuring artistic quality.
As you know, this is the era of science and technology. While it has made life easier, the misuse of artificial intelligence can endanger original literature. When literature is in danger, language is in danger and with language, identity itself collapses.
Writers and readers alike are custodians of language, literature, art, culture, and creativity. I humbly urge you to give literature your time, love, and respect. Build intimacy with words. Value and encourage original creation. This is my heartfelt appeal to all readers and audience. And Ranjana—thank you for giving space to my thoughts, feelings, and compassions.
