IMPHAL, December 21: A two-day long All India Poetry festival organised by the Sahitya Akademi was inaugurated today at the Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy auditorium.<\/p>\n
Today`\u2122s inaugural function was attended by president Sahitya Akademi Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari, Sahitya Akademi Manipur Advisory Board convener H Behari Singh, eminent English scholar Anisur Rahaman as presidium members.<\/p>\n
Other highlights include poetry readings by Sameer Tanti (Assamese), Ranajit Das (Bengali), Dileep Jhaveri (Gujarati), BR Lakshman Rao (Kannada) and Arambam Memchoubi (Manipuri).<\/p>\n
Speaking at the function, Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari said the Sahitya Akademi is the largest organisation in literature in the country.<\/p>\n
One can find the multi lingual and multi cultural aspects of the North Eastern region in the organisation, he continued.<\/p>\n
The two day festival is part of the Akademi`\u2122s 60th year anniversary observation, he said.<\/p>\n
People seem to be unaware of poetry`\u2122s contribution to the world, he said observing that poetry helps spread the message of love, peace, and humanity.<\/p>\n
H Bihari said Manipur is a small State with a rich cultural heritage.<\/p>\n
Organising the festival in the State will help showcase the beauty of the State and its literature before the guests coming from outside the State, he said.<\/p>\n
He also said that poetry is the first form of literature which expresses emotion and feeling through words.<\/p>\n
Poetry helps in bringing unity and prosperity, he said adding that interacting with the poets from the different States taking part in the festival will be an enriching experience.<\/p>\n
The first session of the poetry recital today was chaired by Sirpi Balasubramanian.<\/p>\n
Rupa Hazowary, RK Bhubhonsana, Ravi Laxmikant Korde, Bhagaban Jayasingh, Sarabjeet Sohal, PC Muralee Madhavan, Vasdev Mohi and Seetha Rama Rao also read out thier poetries.<\/p>\n\n