And the men were away again. Off with their ten-paathi jute sack of supplies anchored across their forehead, small nut-filled cans rattling against their back, re-sharpened khukuri dangling by the waist, treading on muddy trails through unforgivingly humid Terai forests.
Between them, things had felt somewhat constrained and claustrophobic ever since Ramesh had returned from Saudi. It should not have been so strenuous, for Shanta had been the one who had pestered Ramesh for the last two years to return to Nepal.
Ninamma knew better than to challenge these men. A smile could be mistaken for an invitation; a frown could invite greasier hands. She had cut her hair short — almost ugly — and wore the same oversized, full-sleeved shirt and jeans every day.
This is a story about stories. Some stories arrive quietly, some knock hard on the door. The seventh edition of Writing Nepal reminded us that stories, no matter how they come, always carry a sense of arrival.
We are happy to reveal our shortlist for the 2025 edition of Writing Nepal: A Short Story Contest. We had over three hundred submissions this year, and have truly enjoyed reading your stories.
La.Lit magazine is happy to announce the seventh edition of Writing Nepal: A Short Story Contest in partnership with writer Samrat Upadhyay and Indiana University, Bloomington, USA .
‘This wonderful story is told from the point of view of a young boy who is discovering that the vibrant community where he lives contains some pretty tantalizing secrets.’
Till you Remember to Forget me by Lalahang won second prize in Writing Nepal: A Short Story Contest 2023. About the story, Samrat Upadhyay, author of Arresting God in Kathmandu and judge of Writing Nepal, said, ‘Till you Remember to Forget me(a great title!) is a dystopian story set around Singha Durbar and Teku. A cyborg is assigned […]
Dia Yonzon’s Unwritten Letters won third place in Writing Nepal: A Short Story Contest 2023. About the story, Samrat Upadhyay, author of Arresting God in Kathmandu and judge of Writing Nepal, said, “In Unwritten Letters a transgender person debates whether they ought to reveal their true identity to their lover and thereby risk rejection. While the actual letter doesn’t […]
