Nara Dev Pandey (1872 – 1944) was a Nepalese poet, writer and publisher. He served as the first ''talukdar'' (manager) of ''
Gorkhapatra
''Gorkhapatra'' () is the oldest Nepali language state-owned national daily newspaper of Nepal. It was started as a weekly newspaper in May 1901 and became a daily newspaper in 1961. It is managed by the Gorkhapatra Sansthan. ''The Rising Nepal ...
'', one of the earliest Nepali newspaper. He ran the first private printing press— Pashupat press located in Thahiti, Kathmandu. He was part of a literary team known as ''Moti Mandali'', alongside
Motiram Bhatta
Motiram Bhatta (; 1866–1896) (1923–1953 BS) was a Nepalese poet, singer, essayist, publisher, literary critic and biographer. He is considered the first biographer and literary critic of Nepali literature and is credited for starting the fir ...
. He is considered one of the eminent figure of Secondary era (''Madhyamik Kaal'') of Nepali literature.
Biography
He was born in in Bhosiko Tole,
Kathmandu
Kathmandu () is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 mi ...
to father Uma Dev Pandey and mother Shiva Priya Devi. He obtained a ''Madhyama'' degree in Sanskrit from
Benaras
Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic tradition of ...
.
His printing press, Pashupat Press published ''Gorkhapatra'' in its earliest days. He was appointed the Talukdar (manager) of ''Gorkhapatra''. He managed the newspaper till September 1903 (1960 Bhadra). He also edited the first Nepali literary magazine—''Sudhasagar''.
He was a part of a literary group called ''Moti Mandal''. The group was formed by the poet and Pandey's nephew, Motiram Bhatta.
He also wrote ''Kabi Motiram Bhattako Sachitra Charitra Barnan'', the biography of
Motiram Bhatta
Motiram Bhatta (; 1866–1896) (1923–1953 BS) was a Nepalese poet, singer, essayist, publisher, literary critic and biographer. He is considered the first biographer and literary critic of Nepali literature and is credited for starting the fir ...
. The biography was published with the help of Major-General Mrigendra Shumsher JBR, who was the incumbent Director of Public Instructions under the prime-ministership of
Juddha Shumsher JBR
Field Marshal Shri Shri Shri Maharaja Sir Juddha Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana () GCB GCSI GCIE (19 April 1875 in Narayanhity Palace, Kathmandu – 20 November 1952 in Dehradun, India) was the Prime Minister of Nepal from 1 September 1932 to 29 Nov ...
.
Notable works
* ''Shree Ganesha Sraswati Strota'' (1950 BS)
* ''Birbal Chaturi'' (1956 BS)
* ''Adhbut Milap'' (1958 BS)
* ''Merina Charitra'' (1959 BS)
* ''Shankhamul Yatra'' (1959 BS)
* ''Chandra Bhati Prakash'' (1962 BS)
* ''Kabi Motiram Bhattako Sachitra Charitra Barnan''
Personal life and death
He was married four times. He did not have any offspring with his first and second wife. He then married Munu Devi, with whom he had a son. After ten months of the birth of their son, Munu Devi died. He then married Gandharba Rajkumari Tiwari, with whom he had three sons and four daughters. He was the maternal uncle of the eminent poet,
Motiram Bhatta
Motiram Bhatta (; 1866–1896) (1923–1953 BS) was a Nepalese poet, singer, essayist, publisher, literary critic and biographer. He is considered the first biographer and literary critic of Nepali literature and is credited for starting the fir ...
. He was about six years younger than Bhatta. He died on 24 April 1944 (12 Baisakh 2001 BS) in Aryaghat,
Pashupatinath Temple
Shri Pashupatinātha Temple () is a revered Hindu temple dedicated to Pashupati, a manifestation of the god Śiva. Located on the banks of the sacred Bagmati River in Kathmandu, Nepal, the temple is one of the oldest and most significant religiou ...
, Kathmandu.
See also
*
Motiram Bhatta
Motiram Bhatta (; 1866–1896) (1923–1953 BS) was a Nepalese poet, singer, essayist, publisher, literary critic and biographer. He is considered the first biographer and literary critic of Nepali literature and is credited for starting the fir ...
*
Jaya Prithvi Bahadur Singh
References
{{Authority control, state=collapsed
Writers from Kathmandu
19th-century Nepalese poets
19th-century Nepalese writers
20th-century Nepalese writers
Nepalese publishers (people)
Nepali-language poets