Every Nepali shelf should start with Muna Madan at around NPR 108 — Devkota in the folk metre, and the cheapest great book in the country. From there the poetry shelf runs through Ghalib and Gulzar in Urdu and Hindi to Rumi and the English canon.
Poetry is the cheapest shelf in any bookshop and the one people are most nervous about buying from. It should be the opposite way round: a poetry collection costs less than a novel, you can read it in fragments, and nothing is lost by not finishing it.
Prices are what we charge as of August 2026 and move with our supplier, so treat them as a guide rather than a quote.
Which poetry book should every Nepali shelf have?
Muna Madan by Laxmi Prasad Devkota, around NPR 108. It is the most loved poem in the Nepali language, written in the jhyaure folk metre, about a man who leaves for Lhasa to earn money and a wife who waits. It is short, it is devastating, and at this price there is no argument against owning it. If you buy one book from this page, buy this one.
What other Nepali poetry can you buy here?
The Nepali poetry shelf in this shop is genuinely small, so this is a short and honest list rather than a padded one:
- Lahana Ra Teer by Abhaya Shrestha, around NPR 360 — a contemporary Nepali-language collection.
- Salaha by Shrawan Mukarung, around NPR 896. Mukarung is one of the most significant living Nepali poets.
- Galli Sansar by Roshan Sherchan, around NPR 630.
If you want Nepali writing more broadly rather than verse specifically, Shirishko Phool by Parijat at around NPR 270 is the novel to own, and our guide to essential Nepali literature covers the rest.
What about Urdu and Hindi poetry?
This is where the shelf is strongest, and where a lot of readers in Nepal actually live.
- Ghalib, around NPR 252. The greatest Urdu poet, and the cheapest way into him.
- Koi Deewana Kahta Hai by Kumar Vishwas, around NPR 288 — contemporary Hindi verse that fills auditoriums.
- Mausam by Gulzar, around NPR 288. Gulzar writes the lyrics people already know by heart; the poems are quieter and better.
Which translated poets are worth owning?
Rumi: A New Translation, around NPR 576. Thirteenth-century Persian mysticism that reads as though it were written last week, which is why he outsells almost every living poet.
Where should you start with English poetry?
The Poetry of William Wordsworth, around NPR 576. Wordsworth wrote about landscape and memory in plain language, which makes him the least intimidating of the English romantics — and the mountains help, if you are reading him in Nepal.
How do you actually read poetry?
Not like a novel. Three things that help more than any advice about interpretation: read it aloud, even quietly, because the rhythm is half the meaning. Read one poem, not twenty. And reread the ones that land instead of pressing on — a collection you have read four poems from properly is doing more for you than one you finished.
Frequently asked questions
Is Muna Madan in Nepali or English? The edition listed is a translated edition; check the language field in the specifications on the book's page before ordering.
Do you have more Nepali-language poetry coming? The Nepali verse shelf is small at the moment and we are adding to it. Ask us for a specific poet and we will tell you honestly whether we can get it.
Do you deliver outside Kathmandu? Yes, to all seven provinces. Typically 1 to 2 days inside the Kathmandu Valley and 3 to 5 days elsewhere.
Can I pay on delivery? Yes. Cash on delivery is currently the only payment method, and you pay the courier when the parcel reaches you.
Browse the full poetry shelf and Nepali literature, or see everything in stock.
