Ambalika Devi

Ambalika Devi (Nepali: अम्बालिकादेवी; 1894–1936) was a Nepalese writer and poet.^[1][2] She is considered as the first Nepalese woman novelist.^[3] Her novel Rajput Ramani was published in 1932.

Ambalika Devi
अम्बालिकादेवी
Born	(1894-05-20)20 May 1894 Kathmandu, Nepal
Died	15 December 1936(1936-12-15) (aged 42) Patna, India
Nationality	Nepali
Other names	Putali
Occupation(s)	Writer, poet
Notable work	Rajput Ramani
Spouse	Ambika Prasad Upadhyaya ​ ​ (m. 1901)​
Parents	Ekkrishna Nepal (father) Ratna Kumari (mother)

Biography

She was born on 20 May 1894 (8 Jestha 1951 BS) in Makhan Tole, Kathmandu, Nepal to father Ekkrishna Nepal and mother Ratna Kumari. She came from an affluent family. Her father was a Subba (officer) in Rana government. Her maternal grandmother, Dev Kumari Koirala was the wet-nurse to King Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah. She was called Putali (transl. butterfly) in her childhood.

After she married Ambika Prasad Upadhyaya at the age of 7, her name was changed to Ambalika Devi, according to the prevalent custom. She moved to her in-law's in Patna. She was educated in home by tutors. She received education in English-medium.^[4]

In 1932, she published Rajput Ramani.^[5] The book was completed on 1 May 1932 (19 Baisakh 1989 BS) and published in September 1932 by General Trading Company, Varanasi. It is the first novel written in Nepali language by a woman writer.

Personal life and death

In 1901, at the age of 7, she married historian Ambika Prasad Upadhyaya.^[1] They had no children of their own, so they decided to adopt Rajeshwor Prasad, the son of Sharada Prasad Upadhyaya, the younger brother of Ambika Prasad Upadhyaya as dharmaputra (a spiritual son). The adoption was performed according to Hindu rituals. Devi died on 15 December 1936 (1 Poush 1993 BS) in Patna.^[1]

Works

• Rajput Ramani (1932)

References

1. Rāṇā, Jagadīśa Śamaśera (2011). Women Writers of Nepal: Profiles and Perspective. Rajesh Rana Publications. p. 3. ISBN 978-81-8465-418-9. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
2. "यी हुन् अम्बिकाप्रसाद उपाध्याय, जसले पहिलोपटक नेपालको इतिहास लेखे". Himal Khabar (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
3. "नेपालीमा महिला उपन्यासकारको अवस्थिति". Samakalin Sahitya (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
4. "अम्बालिकादेवी Ambalika Devi". Nai Prakashan (in Nepali). Retrieved 27 March 2022.
5. Śarmā, Nagendra (1992). Secrets of Shangri-La: An Enquiry Into the Lore, Legend and Culture of Nepal. Nirala Publications. p. 295. ISBN 978-0-7855-0215-9. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.

Further reading

• "Ambalika Devi". Nai Prakashan (in Nepali). Archived from the original on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2021.