Jagat Sundar Malla
Jagat Sundar Malla (1882 - 1952) (Devanagari: जगत सुन्दर मल्ल) was a Nepalese teacher and writer who dedicated his life to the education of the common people.[1]
Malla opened a school in his home defying government repression when the Rana dynasty disapproved any move to spread modern education.[2][3] He stressed the importance of learning English, and he wrote and published textbooks in Nepalese languages as he believed that children learn faster if they are taught in their mother tongue.[4][5] He is honored as one of the Four Pillars of Nepal Bhasa.[4]
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Early life [edit]
Malla was born in Khauma, Bhaktapur to father Bishnu Dhar and mother Jagat Laxmi. He moved to Asan, Kathmandu at the age of 10 to enroll at Durbar High School, the only modern educational institution in the country. After class 10 at Durbar High School, Malla went to Kolkata where he studied up to the entrance level at Scottish Church School.
Career [edit]
Malla established a school at Khauma, Bhaktapur in 1913 where he taught English in Nepal Bhasa.[6] In 1915, Malla and his young brother Padma Sundar went to Japan for higher education which was unavailable in Nepal. He returned to India leaving Padma Sundar in Japan as there wasn't enough money for both of them.[1]
Malla was arrested upon his return and imprisoned in Darbhanga for one and a half years on the suspicion of being a spy. The British Indian government freed him after confirming with the Nepal government that he was a Nepalese citizen. He returned to Nepal in 1917, and was grounded for having left the country without an official permit. Despite the mental stress, Malla kept teaching and writing textbooks.
Works [edit]
Among Malla's notable works are
- English-Nepal Bhasa-English Dictionary
- Aesopan Dayekatahgu Bakhan (Nepal Bhasa translation of Aesop's Fables published in 1915)
- English Grammar in Parbatiya
- Gorkhali Angrezi First Book
- Nepali Angrezi First Book (Nepal Bhasa).[7]
Legacy [edit]
On 25 October 1992, a statue was erected in his honor in Bhaktapur by Bhaktapur Municipality.[1] Jagat Sundar Bwonekuthi, a Nepal Bhasa-medium school named after him, opened in Kathmandu in 1991.[8] A street in the historic section of Kathmandu was named Jagat Sundar Marg by Kathmandu Metropolitan City.[9]
References [edit]
- ^ a b c Adams, Barbara (2004). "Master Jagat Sundar Malla: A prophet before his time". Barbara's Nepal. Adroit Pub.ISBN 8187392444.
- ^ Hoek, Bert van den and Shrestha, Bal Gopal (January 1995). "Education in the Mother Tongue: The Case of Nepal Bhasa". CNAS Journal. Retrieved 6 January 2012. Page 74.
- ^ Hridaya, Chittadhar (1982, third ed). Jheegu Sahitya ("Our Literature"). Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Parisad. Page 84.
- ^ a b "Contributions to Nepalese Studies, Volume 22". Institute of Nepal and Asian Studies, Tribhuvan University. 1995. Page 74.
- ^ Tuladhar, Prem Shanti (2000). Nepal Bhasa Sahityaya Itihas: The History of Nepalbhasa Literature. Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Academy. ISBN 99933-56-00-X. Page 88.
- ^ Hridaya, Chittadhar (1982, third ed). Jheegu Sahitya ("Our Literature"). Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Parisad. Page 85.
- ^ Shrestha, Bal Gopal (January 1999). "The Newars: The Indigenous Population of the Kathmandu Valley in the Modern State of Nepal)". CNAS Journal. Retrieved 23 March 2012. Page 88.
- ^ Gellner, David N. (2004). "Children’s Voices from Kathmandu and Lalitpur, Nepal". Journal of Asian and African Studies. Retrieved 2 January 2012.. Page 8.
- ^ "Addressed Road Network Map". Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
