Entitle: Yuva Kavi

Motiram Bhatta

Motiram Bhatta (मोतीराम भट्ट) also known as Yuva Kavi (Youth Poet), is one of the initial personalities in Nepali literature. His contribution to Nepali literature is incomparable. He himself stood as an era of Nepali Literature. It was Motiram Bhatta who published and promoted Bhanubhakta’s Ramayana, and spread all over Nepal, and started a new era in Nepali language and literature.

Quick Information

Date of Birth:	1923 B.S. (1866 A.D.)
Date of Departure:	1953 B.S. (1896 A.D.)
Birth Location:	Kathmandu, Nepal
Father’s Name:	Dayaram Bhatta
Mother’s Name:	Ripumardini Devi Bhatta
Popular Compositions:	Biography of Bhanubhakta Acharya, Manodweg Prawah, Panchak Prapancha, Shakuntala
Awards:	Yuva Kavi
Occupation:	Poet, Writer, Publisher

Motiram Bhatta was born on 1923 BS in Kathmandu, Nepal. He was born on Kushe Aushi, and died as well in Kushe Aushi exactly after 30 years.

Education

Motiram Bhatta had to move to Varanasi, India, at the age of six with his family. He had his Sanskrit education in Varanasi, as well as some music lessons. At the age of 15, he returned to Kathmandu from Varanasi and joined Durbar High School. After his schooling, he went to Calcutta for higher study and there he finished his Masters’ Degree. He also had knowledge of several languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, Nepali, Urdu and Persian.

Contributions

Motiram greatly highlighted the literary works of Bhanubhakta Acharya. Once Motiram attended a marriage ceremony in Kathmandu, where he heard a poem of Bhanubhakta Acharya being recited by some people. He liked the poem so much that he was determined to find out other poems by Bhanubhakta Acharya. He searched everywhere, went to many people and collected the works of Bhanubhakta Acharya. Motiram published them and wrote Bhanubhakta Acharya's biography as well.

Motiram wrote essays, plays and stories in Nepali language. Some of the works of Motiram are Manodweg Prawah, Panchak Prapancha, Pralahad Bhaktikatha, Shakuntala, Priyadarsika and Pikdoot. He also wrote some Hindi and Urdu poems. He was the one who introduced "Ghazals" in Nepali literature.

Motiram started publishing Nepali literary magazine and published many books in Nepali language including Bhanubhakta’s Ramayana and other works in Varanasi. During this period, Motiram formed a literary group called ‘Mitramandali’ and this group helped Motiram in writing and publishing books and other stuffs in Nepali. After coming back to Kathmandu, he established a library through which he continued his literary career.

The verses of some of Motiram’s books and poems mainly the Pralhadbhakti were recited in every household like morning and evening prayers. As his poems and books gained high popularity among the general public in Nepal, the then rulers of Nepal summoned Motiram to the Palace and asked him to translate the Shakuntala, a popular epic written by Kalidas in Sanskrit, into Nepali.

Notable Awards

Motiram Bhatta, the noted literary figure, is given the title 'Youth Poet' in the Nepali literature.

Motiram was a revolutionary writer. Prior to him, poets and writers used classical style of writing. Motiram broke this tradition and started writing in a language which is understandable to all. Meter and rhythm are something like standard formula for Motiram’s poems. This made Motiram much popular all the time.

Motiram is a legend of Nepal, who brought revolution in Nepali Literature. He was a multi-dimensional personality. He was poet, publisher, critic, researcher, promoter, patron, organizer, musician, music composer, signer, drama director and performer. His contribution to generate literary and intellectual awareness among the Nepalese people is very important and unforgettable. His work to Nepali literature is of immense value and he is always remembered as the pioneer of Nepali literature and Nepali language world.

NOTES:
All dates except date of birth (and those which are immediately followed by B.S.), are in A.D.