Bhupi Sherchan

Sherchan was born on 27 December 1937 (12 Poush 1992 BS) in Tukuche, Mustang district in an affluent Thakali family to father, Subba Hit Man Sherchan and mother, Padma Kumari Sherchan. He was born as the fifth on to the Thakali couple. Since, he was born on the day of Pushe Aunsi (New moon day of the Hindu month Poush), his father considered the new-born inauspicious and refused to see his face.

Only after consulting astrologer after six months, the father decided to see his son's face. His mother died when he was five years old. At the age of around ten or twelve, he moved to Benaras with his elder brother, Yogendra Man and niece, Urmila.[4]

While in college, he became associated with politics. The main political parties in Benaras then were Congress and Communists. Sherchan became associated with the Communists. He published his first book Pariwartan, a play in 1951, while he was in college. The play was published under his real name Bhupendra Man Sherchan, at the age of 16. It was inspired by the anti-Rana protest in Nepal. He also started writing Sarbahara (Proletariat) after his name.

Since his brother was the member of the Nepali Congress and he was Communist, there was an ideological rift between the brothers which led to Bhupi moving away from his brorther's place. Along with that, he started writing poems under the pseudonym. Similarly, the protests against the Rana regime had started in Nepal. He also took part in the protest which led to his imprisonment.[4] He received a BA degree from Banaras College.[5]

HIs family were traders and merchants, He did not join his family business. Instead, he decided to join the Nepali literary world. His first poetry collection Nayam Jhyaure was published by Janayug Prakashan, Banaras, in 1953. The poetry collection was published under his pseudonym Sarbahara (Proletariat) and was influenced by communist ideology. In 2012 BS (1955-1956), he became the district secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal.[6]

Bhupi Sherchan

Nirjhar, his second poetry collection was published in 1958 by Narendra Yantralaya in Kathmandu. The poems in this collection follows the Nepalese metric style (Chhanda).

He started writing under the name Bhupi Sherchan after publishing Nirjhar. In 1969, Sajha Prakashan published an anthology of his poems in a book Ghumne Mechmathi Andho Manche. The poems in this collection were collected from many literary periodicals such as Ruprekha and Madhuparka. The book won him the first ever Sajha Puraskar in late 2025 BS (1969).

Bhupi Sherchan Ka Kavita, a poetry collection edited by Shiva Regmi was published in 2008. The collection contains his poem which were published in various literary magazines over time but were not included in Ghumne Mech Mathi Andho Manchhe.

He is considerd the most successful poet to popularize free verse. He has analyzed humans and human life in different ways but his biggest contribution to Nepalese society is that he has tried to show the way to the new generation through his numerous poems. His Himalayan nationalism can be seen in his poem Hami (Us), where he claimed that Nepalese are brave, but foolish (because they are brave).

Sherchan produced several odes to the martyrs of Nepal, including Sahid Ko Samjhana, Main Batti Ko Sikha, and Ghantaghar. Ghumne Mech Mathi Andho Manche (Blind Man on a Revolving Chair) is his most popular poetry collection.[7]

He was also appointed a member of the Royal Nepal Academy for two terms from 1979 to 1989.

Bhupi Sherchan (Source: Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya)

He married twice. His first marriage was to Om Kumari Tulachan and in 1969, he married Kanti Rana. He had 6 children (5 daughters and a son) with Om Kumari Tulachan and 2 children (a daughter and a son) with Kanti Rana. Since his college days, he had developed the habit of smoking, which later led to his lung-related complications.[8] He was also interested in music and cricket.[9]

He died on 14 May 1989 (1 Jestha 2046 BS) in Kathmandu.[10][11]

Sherchan is considered the pioneer of the free verse poetry in Nepali literature.[12] Prof. Michael J. Hutt published Sherchan's biography, The life of Bhupi Sherchan: Poetry and Politics in Post-Rana Nepal in 2010. The biography also contains Sherchan's poems translated by Hutt.

The title of the movie Chiso Ashtray is based on one of his poems from Ghumne Mechmathi Andho Manche, of the same name.[13]

• Laxmi Prasad Devkota
• Shankar Lamichhane
• Parijat
• Banira Giri

• M.J. Hutt, The life of Bhupi Sherchan: Poetry and Politics in Post-Rana Nepal Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2010, ISBN 978-0-19-806827-3

• Some poems of Bhupi Sherchan in English translation
• Bhupi Sherchan
• Official website
• Interview Part 1
• Interview Part 2