KATHMANDU: In the fine morning of April 30, hundreds of readers had gathered at Nepal Tourism Board, Exhibition Road, and many of them had formed a line. And the audience in the line had gathered to meet and get an autograph of their favourite author Nayan Raj Pandey amidst the launch of Pandey's seventh novel Sallipir.

The book was jointly launched by poet Shyamal and the writer.

Set on Khumbu region, Sallipir tells the story of its people and events. Describing the norms and cultures of the place and people around this region, the novel reveals the way of life of Khumbu people. Meanwhile, friendship, father-daughter relationship and social issues are the novel’s highlights.

"Pandey has been able to bring forth the issues of Sherpa community. He has shared the belief of people living in the Khumbu region and has done a research to write the text. It's an in-depth analysis of the sociocultural context of the region," poet Shyamal commented on the novel at the event.

Naango Manchheko Dairy, Bikramaditya Euta Katha Suna, Atirikta, Ulaar, Loo and Ghaam Kiri are other published novels of the eminent novelist. In addition, he has also published three story collections. And he has knack for writing about a place and its people. From the Tarai in his previous works, he has gone to Khumbu of the Himalaya this time.

About his selection of Khumbu region, he stated, "I have written about the place and people because I feel that they are my kith and kin and writing about the stories of your relatives isn't a difficult task."

The book has been published by FinePrint.