Report by Santanu Ganguly, New Delhi: SABAD: A 4-Day World Poetry Festival was kicked off on March 21 and that will continue till March 24. Poets from 21 countries from across the 6 continents, including India are participating in the festival. Organized during the celebrations of 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda & 100th year of Guru Rabindranath Tagore’s receiving the Nobel Prize. Festival features 11 Sessions of Poetry over 4 days and 2 cultural programs. Admission Free. The Inaugural Session of SABAD - the 4-day World Poetry Festival being organized by the Sahitya Akademi and Ministry of Culture in the Capital proved to be a very enlightening afternoon for those present in Meghdoot Theatre Complex of Sahitya Akademi, Mandi House, New Delhi.
Organised during the celebrations of 150th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda & 100th year of Guru Rabindranath Tagore’s receiving the Nobel Prize promises to be an exhilarating showcase of diverse voices and sounds. The festival is a critical platform for self-expression that offers a space for cultural exchange in the capital city. It will comprise of 11 poetry sessions and 2 cultural programs which will be enriching for literary aficionados of the capital.
The festival’s line-up features an impressive list of poets from 21 countries from all the 6 continents. Among the prominent ones to grace the festival are George Szirtes (UK), Les Wicks (Australia), Kunwar Narain (India), Nikola Madzirov (Macedonia), Najwan Darwish (Palestine), Oscar Cruz (Cuba), Ingrid Storholmen (Norway), Pai Tafdrup (Denmark), Philip Nikolayev (USA), Tanure Ojaide (Nigeria).
The Inaugural session started with a welcome note by K Sreenivasarao, Secretary, Sahitya Akademi followed by the Presidential Address by Vishawanath Prasad Tiwari, President, Sahitya Akademi and Inaugural Address by George Szirtes (UK). Also present at the occasion were Kunwar Narain, Chief Guest; Ramakanta Rath, Guest of Honour; Chandrasekhar Kambara, Vice President, Sahitya Akademi. Some eminent poets like Les Wicks (Australia), Nikola Madzirov (Macedonia), Ingrid Fichtner (Germany), Najwan Darwish (Palestine), Desmond Kharmawphlang (India) regaled those present with the Inaugural readings.
During the inaugural session Vishawanath Prasad Tiwari, President, Sahitya Akademi said “While welcoming the delegates, press and literature aficionados during the inaugural session, the President said that it is always the best feeling to be in a voyage. He said that the voyage has more trial, tribulations and moments that can be cherished that to reach the goal itself.
He said poetry should be about the knowledge of all fields of human life than about the language of tender feelings. He feels and implores poets to pay this attention to details for everything the only about the feelings.”
George Szirtes of United Kingdom said during his Inaugural Address that, “A poet is a scientist of emotions and he feels that these emotions should be preserved and woven into poetry so that many more can savor it and enlighten their thoughts and lives.
Poetry is compared with the creator of the universe since a poem creates a scene which is as vivid, truthful and soul enriching as the one by the creator or god himself.”
The Inaugural Session will be followed by First Session at 2:00PM to 3:30PM, which will be chaired by Keki N Daruwalla (India) and readings by Marra PL. Lanot (Philippines), Milosav Topinka (Czech Republic), Vanita (India). The Second Session at 4:00PM to 5:30PM to be chaired by Pia Tafdrup (Denmark) and readings by Thangjam Ibopishak Singh (India), Philip Nikolayev (USA), Tamilanban (India). The evening will be dedicated to a Odissi Dance Performance by Shweta Mukti on theme “Feminine Glory of Nirvana by Kavita Dwivedi”.
Les Wicks the Australian Poet, speak of displacement and modern turmoil, all the time using metaphors from his native sensibilities. Modern poetry is at once personal and also universal- using local idioms to define a new global language of poetic communication.
Nikola Madzirov Coming from the Balkans, he understands the pain that was and exile bring to humanity. It is rich resonant cove, resisting his poems in his won Macedonian tongue was mesmeric. Using the rope of everyday world and nature, he is able to penetrate into the psyche of the modern man.
Najwan Darwish The Palestinian poet communicates the confusion of the homeless, identity- less man- and he develops this theme to embrace all people who have suffered exile, persecution and humiliation- and they are one in their suffering as humans.
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