Nepali novel 'Song of the Soil' shortlisted for the coveted JCB prize for Literature

The translated Nepali book "Song of the Soil" by noted writer Chuden Kabimo has been shortlisted for the JCB Prize for Literature. It is the first piece of fiction written in Nepali to be included on the shortlist for the coveted literary award, which was presented in Kolkata on Friday.

The JCB Prize for Literature has a shortlist that is entirely composed of translations for the first time in its five-year existence after dominating the long list with six out of 10. The five titles on the shortlist, which was revealed on Friday, are written in Bangla, Urdu, Malayalam, Hindi, and Nepali.

The varied books include an examination of marginalised people's lives, a narrative of events in a middle-class Muslim joint family, a tale of migrants in the Western Ghats, a genre-defying look at the effects of borders and boundaries on relationships, and a tale centred on the Gorkhaland movement of the 1980s.

The judges hailed "Song of the Soil," originally titled "Faatsung," as a remarkable example of how to write about a violent incident without reenacting the violence. It was translated into English by Ajit Baral and edited by Anurag Basnet.

The highest prize money in India, Rs. 25 lakh, will be awarded to "Song of the Soil," which is published by Gangtok's Rachna Books in India and FinePrint Books in Nepal.

"Song of the Soil," which is set in the town of Kalimpong, vividly depicts the Gorkhaland independence revolution in the late 1980s. It exposes the multiple guises of violence with clarity. It also poses the crucial query: Who ultimately triumphs in a revolution, and who loses?
On November 19, the JCB Prize for Literature will announce the name of the winner.