By NJ Thakuria
Guwahati: Creative writers, journalists, filmmakers, vivid
appreciators, enthusiast observers from various parts of the globe now
gather at Brahmaputra Literary Festival in the far eastern part of
India. First of its kinds in the alienated region of the country, the
festival witnessed the gala opening on Saturday precluding all serious
panel discussions on literature and related other creative activities.
Eminent authors including Randy Taguchi from Japan, Neal Hall from
USA, Carlo Pizaati, Giampaolo Simi & Alessandra Bertini from Italy,
Francois Gautier & Nicolos Idier from France, Carlos Penalver from
Spain, Subramani from Fiji, Dhunpal Raj Heeraman & Ramdeo Dhorundhur
from Mauritius, Selina Hussain & Shaheen Akhtar from Bangladesh,
Rajiva Wijesinha from Sri Lanka, Raj Heeramun, Ramdev Dhoorandhar &
Niranjan Kunwar from Nepal, Yugyen Tshering from Bhutan have already
graced Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, the venue of the festival.
Many prominent Indian writers and cultural personalities like Asha
Parekh, Shatrughan Sinha, Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra Damodar Mauzo,
Subhash Kashyap, Makarand Paranjpe, Narendra Kohli, Khalid Mohammed,
Dipa Choudhuri are scheduled to participate in various sessions of the
festival including open interaction with the audience.
Some famed north-eastern creative personalities and journalists
including Sanjoy Hazarika, Arup Kumar Dutta, Jahnavi Barua, Mamang
Dai, Pradip Phanjoubam, Monalisa Chankija, Dhruba Hazarika, Yeshe
Dorjee Thongchi, Leena Sarma, Jnan Pujari, Phanindra Kumar
Debachoudhury, Kula Saikia, Rami Chhabra, Vimala Morthala, Aniz Uz
Zaman, Monikuntala Bhattacharjya, Dileep Chandan along with Utpal
Borpujari, Nilim Kumar, Suparna Lahiri Baruah, Mirza Ali Baig,
Prasanta Rajguru, Mrinal Talukdar, Arindam Barkataki, Samrat
Chowdhury, Nanigopal Mahanta, Imran Hussain, Ratna Barali Talukdar,
Atanu Bhattachrya, Geetali Borah etc arrived at the venue for cohesive
participation.
With this three-day fiesta, jointly organised by the National Book
Trust India (under HRD ministry) and Publication Board Assam (under
Assam’s education ministry), the city has emerged as an important
venue of literary festivals in the country. With brain storming panel
discussions, book releases & readings, cultural events including
screenings of films based on literary pieces etc, the festival is
expected to enrich the literary prospect of the region to many extend.
Inaugurating the festival, the Union human resources development
minister Prakash Javadekar appealed to the litterateur and authors to
contribute for the mission to build a culturally sound society through
their literary pieces reflecting the truth. Once a journalist,
Javadekar also assured the government’s support in ensuring the
freedom of thought & expressions.
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, State education minister
Himanta Biswa Sarma, celebrated authors Randy Taguchi, Mamang Dai and
Damodar Mauzo, NBT chairman Baldeo Bhai Sharma & director Rita
Choudhury also addressed the gathering under the winter sky. Earlier a
spectacular literary carnival led the participants to the festival
venue in the southern part of the pre-historic city.
NJ Thakuria
[email protected]
