Krishna Lal Adhikari Explained

Krishna Lal Adhikari
Birth Date:5 February 1888
Birth Place:Rapti District, Kingdom of Nepal
Death Place:Kathmandu, Kingdom of Nepal
Nationality:Nepali
Other Names:Subba Krishna Lal Adhikari
Krishnalal Adhikari
Occupation:Writer
Notable Works:Makaiko Kheti (1920)

Krishna Lal Adhikari (Nepali: कृष्णलाल अधिकारी, 5 February 1888 – 9 December 1923) was a Nepali author best known for publishing Makaiko Kheti (1920), a book about maize cultivation that was accused of being treasonous. He was sentenced to nine years in prison and died in jail. After his death, he was recognised as the first "literary martyr" in Nepal. Tinlal Park in Manthali, Ramechhap, is named after him.

Early life and career

Adhikari was born in what is the modern-day Ramechhap District on 5 February 1888,[1] and went on to become a "Subba" government official.[2] [3] [4] He worked in the Office of Foreign Affairs.[5] Adhikari was an advocate of freedom of speech and personal expression.[6]

Adhikari was inspired to write a book about maize cultivation after reading an Indian book his friend gave him. With permission from Nepali Bhasha Prakashini Samiti (Nepali Language Publication Committee), he released Makaiko Kheti in July 1920.[7] Two pundits – Ramhari Adhikari and Bhojraj Kafle – told prime minister Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana about the book; they blamed the author for "mischievous expressions to treason".[8] Chandra reportedly said that Krishna Lal Adhikari "made a symbolic attack" on him because the book contained "a comparative analysis of the utility of a dog of an English breed and a native dog".[9]

On 2 August 1920, Adhikari was sentenced to nine years in prison, with the option of reducing his sentence to six years if he gave all 1,000 copies of the book to the government.[8] He tried to hand over all of the copies but one had gone missing, which he could not locate. The 999 copies were torched.[10] [11] No known copies survive.[12]

The same year, Makaiko Kheti was published again without the references to the Rana dynasty, under a new title, Krishi Shikshvali.[13]

Death and legacy

Adhikari died from tuberculosis three years later whilst in prison.[14] [15] While on his deathbed, the guards took him for a sunbath; they asked Chandra Shumsher to release him but he declined.[16] It is said that the same day, Adhikari wrote on the ground: "Doom for the Ranas". Adhikari's father asked Chandra Shumsher for the authorization to cremate his son in the Pashupatinath Temple, but the request was declined, saying he had been imprisoned to "die decaying". One author wrote that Adhikari was treated inhumanely inside the cell.[17]

KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal beginning in 2015, recognized Krishna Lal Adhikari as one of the martyrs who helped end the authoritarian government.[18] Tinlal Park in Manthali, Ramechhap, is named after Adhikari, alongside revolutionary Gangalal Shrestha and politician Pushpalal Shrestha.[19] Adhikari was praised as the first "literary martyr" in Nepal.[20]

Makaiko Arkai Kheti is a book based on Adhikari which was later adapted into a play; it deals with the author's search for freedom of speech.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: अनन्तशमशेर थापा क्षेत्रीको शताब्दीअघिको कृषि–पशु क्षेत्र विश्लेषण. 14 October 2020. Himal Khabar. 14 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201014124954/https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/6776. live.
  2. Web site: Adhikārī, Kr̥shṇalāla, 1888–1923. Virtual International Authority File. 2020. 12 October 2020. 13 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201013191940/https://viaf.org/viaf/25998481/. live.
  3. Web site: 10 January 2004. Maze on maize. 7 October 2020. The Himalayan Times. en-US. 7 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201007121855/https://thehimalayantimes.com/entertainment/maze-on-maize/. live.
  4. Web site: 6 January 2016. A difficult harvest. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201005170711/https://www.recordnepal.com/art-letter/a-difficult-harvest/. 5 October 2020. 7 October 2020. The Record. en-US.
  5. Web site: Maoists in Nepal: Historical Background. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201006195907/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/4069/10/10_chapter%203.pdf. 6 October 2020. 13 October 2020. Shodhganga. 72.
  6. Book: Uprety, Prem Raman. Political Awakening in Nepal: The Search for a New Identity. 1992. Commonwealth Publishers. 978-81-7169-190-6. 25. en. 14 October 2020. 17 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201017123439/https://books.google.com/books?id=KPtGAQAAIAAJ. live.
  7. Book: Uprety, Prem Raman. Political Awakening in Nepal: The Search for a New Identity. 1992. Commonwealth Publishers. 978-81-7169-190-6. en. 7 October 2020. 17 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201017123517/https://books.google.com/books?id=yHduAAAAMAAJ&q=Krishna+Lal+Adhikari. live.
  8. Web site: 2 July 2015. The Book on Makai Parba. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201005165853/https://www.spotlightnepal.com/2015/07/02/the-book-on-makai-parba/. 5 October 2020. 6 October 2020. SpotlightNepal. en.
  9. Web site: Uprety. Sanjeev. 2017–2018. Masculinity and Mimicry: Ranas and Gurkhas. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200718160840/http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/ebhr/pdf/EBHR_50-51.pdf. 18 July 2020. 6 October 2020. Digital Himalaya. 106–107.
  10. Book: Serchan, Sanjaya. Democracy, Pluralism, and Change: An Inquiry in the Nepalese Context. 2001. Chhye Pahuppe. 978-99933-54-39-0. en. 7 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201007155914/https://books.google.com/books?id=-SyOAAAAMAAJ&q=Krishna+Lal+Adhikari+died. 7 October 2020. live.
  11. Web site: Bad blood- Nepali Times. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201005170059/http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9004. 5 October 2020. 6 October 2020. archive.nepalitimes.com.
  12. Book: Mottin, Monica. Rehearsing for Life: Theatre for Social Change in Nepal. 9 March 2018. Cambridge University Press. 978-1-108-41611-5. en. 7 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201007155933/https://books.google.com/books?id=leZNDwAAQBAJ&q=Makaiko+Kheti&pg=PA39. 7 October 2020. live.
  13. Web site: हिमाल खबरपत्रिका कृषि कर्मका प्रारम्भिक ज्ञान. 14 October 2020. nepalihimal.com. en-US. 10 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201010192341/http://nepalihimal.com/. live.
  14. Book: Nepali Journal of Contemporary Studies. 2007. Nepal Centre for Contemporary Studies. en. 7 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201007155930/https://books.google.com/books?id=1zNMAQAAIAAJ&q=Krishna+Lal+Adhikari+died. 7 October 2020. live.
  15. Book: Pathak, Bishnu. Politics of People's War and Human Rights in Nepal. 2005. BIMIPA Publications. 978-99933-939-0-0. en. 7 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201007155933/https://books.google.com/books?id=QTVuAAAAMAAJ&q=Krishna+Lal+Adhikari+died. 7 October 2020. live.
  16. Web site: 10 January 2004. Maze on maize. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201007121855/https://thehimalayantimes.com/entertainment/maze-on-maize/. 7 October 2020. 7 October 2020. The Himalayan Times. en-US.
  17. Book: Rana, Pramode Shamshere J. B.. A Chronicle of Rana Rule. 1999. R. Rana. en. 7 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201007155934/https://books.google.com/books?id=PnFuAAAAMAAJ&q=Krishna+Lal+Adhikari+died. 7 October 2020. live.
  18. Web site: Royal crown on display for public view (Photos). live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201006192529/https://en.setopati.com/social/132501. 6 October 2020. 6 October 2020. Setopati.
  19. Web site: Martyrs honoured through a recital. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201007115902/https://kathmandupost.com/art-entertainment/2017/01/29/martyrs-honoured-through-a-recital. 7 October 2020. 7 October 2020. kathmandupost.com. en.
  20. Web site: प्रतिबन्धित पुस्तक सप्ताह : नेपालमा पुस्तकमाथि प्रहार. 14 October 2020. Online Khabar. en-US. 14 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201014122330/https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2020/09/899423. live.
  21. Web site: Symbols and satire. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201005173212/https://kathmandupost.com/opinion/2015/12/20/symbols-and-satire. 5 October 2020. 13 October 2020. The Kathmandu Post. en.

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