BHUBANESWAR: Poets from across the country took people on a poetic journey with some of their best works here on Thursday. The occasion was the National Symposium of Poets-2015 organised by All India Radio (AIR).
Bards in 22 Indian languages read out verses highlighting several themes but the focus was primarily on national integration and social issues. Subsequently, the poems were recited in Hindi. There was a significant presence of women poets including Odisha’s Gayatri Bala Panda who opened the symposium that is touted as the biggest gathering of national poets from all regional languages.
Some of the interesting recitations were by Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar awardees Manoj Bogati and Shyam Charan Tudu who write in Nepali and Santhali languages respectively. While Shyam, a book seller from Jamshedpur, recited two of his short poems, ‘Rengez Jala’ (Poverty) and ‘In Jaharing Tahena’ (The Place I Live In), Manoj read out verses from his poem ‘Ek Chinn Buddha’ (Buddha For A Moment). The poems, they said, were inspired by their personal lives.
Additional Director General of AIR Amitab Shukla said this is the second time the symposium of poets was organised in Odisha, the first time being in 2009. “Odisha has a large population that is inclined towards literature and art. This is why we thought of bringing the event to Bhubaneswar again,” he said. The poets were chosen by a Central committee comprising Sahitya Akademi, National Book Trust and Spoken Word Cell of the AIR, which broadcasts their works throughout the year.
The symposium, Shukla said, is being held since 1956 with the aim of national integration and providing a cultural platform to poets from cross-cultural backgrounds to share their works. “Its uniqueness is underlined by the fact that it is the only programme of its kind wherein eminent poets of 22 Indian languages come together to showcase their creative best,” Shukla said.
The programme will be broadcast on January 25 at 10 pm by all AIR stations. “The recording is also made available to all regional stations so that they can highlight the regional poets and broadcast their poems from the respective stations based on their programme arrangements,” he added.
A total of 40 poets participated in the symposium, of which, 20 were Hindi translators.