Awards for Printed books 2012

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi invites writers residing or working in Chandigarh to submit PRINTED BOOKS in Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, or English (Poetry, Fiction, Plays) published in 2012.

Three copies of each book should be sent to the CSA office (1st Floor, State Library, Sector 34, Chandigarh), by JANUARY 10, 2013.

Edited books and those published with financial help from CSA or from another agency will not be considered.

Manju Jaidka
Chairperson, CSA

Lok Chua and the Gold Mountain

Prof Cheng Lok Chua's talk on Chinese American Contribution to Literature, 1st Dec 2012

A constant endeavor of Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi is to organize forums in which local writers, academicians and lovers of literature may get a chance to interact with visiting men and women of letters. In times such as ours, when the world seems to have shrunk to manageable proximities, an exchange is desirable across borders spatial and temporal. With this in view, the CSA, as explained by the Chairperson of the Akademi, Manju Jaidka, is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to bring in travellers from distant lands who will bring with them stories of different peoples and cultures. 

This morning the CSA organized a talk at the UT Guest House by such a visiting scholar. Prof Cheng Lok Chua is an Emeritus Professor at the California State University at Fresno, currently on a Visiting Fulbright assignment at Nepal. He is now in India on a brief visit. An eminent professor of American Literature and the writer and editor of several books and journals, Lok Chua's talk this morning was on "The Chinese American Gold Mountain: An Asian American Version of the American Dream" . He spoke at length on the Chinese American contribution to literature, illustrating from two well-known texts, Lin Yutang's Chinatown Family (1945) and Maxine Hong Kingston's Woman Warrior (1976).

Going back in history, Prof Lok Chua explained how the early Chinese immigrants first landed in America during the gold rush of the mid-nineteenth century, worked hard at the mines, the railroads and plantations, battled all exclusionist policies, finally settled down in their new location, and came to be regarded as an important, much respected part of the American society.

Chairing today's session was Prof Brajesh Sawhney of Kurukshetra University who steered the lively discussion that followed and also summed up the session with a reference to the present multicultural and multi-ethnic texture of America today. 

Prof Anil Raina, Vice-Chairperson of the Akademi, and Shri Madhav Kaushik, Secretary, thanked the audience for their enthusiasm. It was further announced that the next event would be a local Goshthi in early January which would showcase writers from the city who had published books in the last couple of months. Concerned writers may get in touch with the Akademi. Further, a Literary Quiz will be organized in mid-January, primarily for college students but also open to the public.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi is accepting SHORT STORIES (between 1,000 and 2,000 words) and POEMS (not exceeding 2 pages) in English, Hindi and Punjabi for possible publication in a forthcoming anthology. Contributions may be submitted at the CSA office (1st Floor, State Library Sector 34) right up to Dec 20, 2012.

Photographs of this mornings talks are posted on FB. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.564551490228596.149029.100000212495273&type=1

Carnival time 2012

Day 1 at the Carnival

At the annual Carnival, Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi organized several on-the-spot competitions in which the public participated. the young and the old with literary leanings tried their hand at penning couplets and verses, captions and slogans.

Prizes were announced every hour or so. Lucky prize winners incleded Aman (for Slogan Writing), Satish Popular (for Hasya Kavita), Monica Bhardwaj (for couplet completion) and Sumedha Bector (for Caption contest).

 

CALLING ALL CHANDIGARH WRITERS:

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi is also accepting SHORT STORIES (between 1,000 and 2,000 words) and POEMS (not exceeding 2 pages) in English, Hindi and Punjabi for possible publication in a forthcoming anthology. Contributions may be submitted at the CSA stall on the Carnival Grounds (Leisure Valley).

Pics online: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.560831537267258.148344.100000212495273&type=1

CSA at the Carnival - Day 2

"Hamein tumse pyar kitna, yeh hum nahi jaantey, magar jee nahi saktey tumharey bina." This was a quotation given to the public and they were asked to write a parody. A number of enthusiastic visitors to the Carnival participated but the response that tickled the jury the most came from Rohit Gautam of Panjab University who wrote: "Hamein hai bukhaar kitna, tum kyon nahi naaptey? / Kha rahey ho ice-cream tum hamarey bina."

On the second day of the Chandigarh Carnival being held at the leisure Valley, sector 10, there was a continuos stream of visitors at the CSA stall.

Fun games, contests and quizzes were conducted. The response of the public was tremendous. Anil Raina, who conducted the quiz, had a bagful of questions with him. These were based on world literatures, from English, Indian, European and other cultures. Attractive prizes in the form of stationery, files, and diaries were given to the winners. The participants included senior citizens, housewifes, students and very young school-goers too.

Some more stories and poems came in for possible publication for a proposed anthology.

Tomorrow, on 25th Nov, the CSA will continue it literary activites at the carnival. Identify the Writer" whose picture was displayed on the notice-board was a popular contest and will continue tomorrow. Other contests will be added: Slogan writing, Caption, etc.
Photos are being posted on CSA Facebook. They speak for themselves.

CSA at the Carnival -- Day 3

Here's a riddle:

"This is the story of a father and a son after a devastating war. They find the queen and the princess alive in the chaos, and decide to take them home. In due time, the son marries the queen and the father marries the princess. Eventually, the son and the queen have a son, and the father and the princess have a daughter.

NOW

Either tell us what the relation between the two newborn children is.

Or

Tell us which character from a famous collection of stories is asked this question?"

This was one of the questions asked by Anil Raina, the Quiz-Wizard at the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi Stall at the Carnival today. On the third day of the carnival there was a steady stream of interested participants eager to test their literary skills at the contests organized by the CSA. Thronging the stall were young and old from all walks of lie: engineers, bankers, lawyers, stock-brokers, students and lay readers. The questions focused on well-known classics as well as popular folk tales. For young children there were specially designed easy-to-answer questions.

Parody and couplet writing proved popular, as did the identification of pictures of well-known writers. Several writers, established as well as wannabes, submitted their stories for possible publication in a forthcoming CSA anthology.

Manju Jaidka, Chairperson of the CSA, long with Anil Raina and Madhav Kaushik, Vice-Chairman and Secretary, respectively of CSA, and several young volunteers. remained busy throughout the day, interacting with the literature-lovers of the city.

Photographs of the day have been uploaded on the CSA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.561759797174432.148528.100000212495273&type=1

Minakshi Chaudhry Kanwar

CSA event 10^th November 2012

Minakshi Chaudhry on Ghost Stories from the Shimla Hills

Imagine snow-capped mountain peaks in the moonlight. Imagine you hear a strong wind swishing through the pine leaves. Or fog and mist intermittently weaving a magic web around imposing, silent buildings which have been mute witnesses to history. Imagine the souls of a hundred thousand people who once lived, loved and lost, who once were part of this mortal world, took birth, struggled with the challenges of life, and then went their way. Imagine all those ghosts and spirits of the ages gone by looking down at you, reaching out to you, communicating with you, telling you stories of their lives and times.

If you can imagine this, if you allow these unseen spirits to communicate with you then, you are blessed indeed. For you there will never be any dearth of stories. And if you are a denizen of the hills, your treasure house of stories will never be depleted.

Minakshi Chaudhry Kanwar is one such exceptional soul who is in tune with the world beyond, who is receptive to ethereal whispers, gives credence to them, and passes them on to us. She is a teller of tales, a disseminator of stories. In the world today we need such story tellers. We need people like Minakshi to keep the magic of the world alive, to remind us that there is more in life than mundane, materialistic fare.

Not only is Minakshi the writer and compiler of ghost stories and love stories from the hills, or travel books that help you explore the difficult terrain of the Himachal, she is one who has waged a battle against a dreaded cancer, survived it, and them risen again like the phoenix to face the challenges of life afresh. She does not allow clouds of gloom to darken her world; she is full of sunshine and inspires all those who come into contact with her.

On an invitation from the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi today, Minakshi Chaudhry made a scintillating presentation of her work over the last decade or so, keeping the audience enthralled with ghost stories and love stories from the Shimla hills. She disarmed her listeners with her down-to-earth approach to life, her pleasant disposition and her love for the region, regaling them with anecdotes, funny as well as not-so-funny experiences encountered while in search of the material for her books.

Accompanying Minakshi was her husband, Rakesh Kanwar, at present the Director Culture of Himachal Pradesh who, in his own right, contributes to the promotion of literature and culture.

The CSA session was held at the UT Guest House in the conference room which was pack to its fullest capacity. The audience comprised writers, journalists, lay readers and literature enthusiasts.

Pictures of the events may be downloaded from this link:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.554839077866504.147009.100000212495273&type=3

Ghost Stories

The next CSA event will take place on 10th November at 11.30 am, UT Guest House.

The speaker, Minakshi Chaudhry, is a very special person, popular for her stories that revolve around Shimla, and also for the fact that she is a cancer survivor, a brave warrior who has cheerfully battled all health problems and continues to give us stories that regale us. Let us all give her a decent audience on 10th November.

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi invites you to an exciting session of 

GHOST STORIES AND MORE!

Meet 

MINAKSHI CHAUDHRY KANWAR 

writer from the Shimla Hills

on 10 November 2012

at 11.30 AM  

Venue:

UT Guest House

Sector 6

Chandigarh

African Literature and more

CSA event on 21^st October 2012

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi held a three-tiered session today at the UT Guest House. The invited speakers were Dr Veena Sharma, independent scholar and Fellow of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla; Shri Gyan Prakas Vivek, celebrated poet and novelist in Hindi; and Ms Neena Sahai, amateur photographer and artist who writes poetry and has also published.

Dr Veena Sharma, who is an independent scholar with expertise on African literature and culture, gave a baroad-based yet incisive talk on African Literature which emerged from the rich oral traditions of the Dark Continent. The literature of the region, according to Dr Sharma who has a PhD from JNU and has been a Fellow at the IIAS, Shimla, is intimately related to the oral traditions on the one hand, and also to humiliation suffered by Africa under the colonial rule. She spoke of racialism and the harsh colonial policies of the French, the British and the Portuguese which led to the first literary movement called Negritude. Which actually was a celebration of black colour.

Dr Sharma invoked African symbols like Sankota (return to the past – ‘go back and get it’), Nwe Mu Dua (measuring stick) and Siamese crocodiles (which symbolize solidarity, the idea of ‘one for many, many for one’). She mentioned the sense of community. That is strong in Africa and comes across prominently in the literature. Dr Sharma, like the traditional African ‘Malimu’ or teacher / leader in African culture, opened up new ground for the CSA audience to explore and appreciate.

Gyan Prakash Vivek, who is an acclaimed poet and novelist, spoke at length about his recent novel, “Chai ka Doosra Cup”. This is a book that revolves around the aftermath and the sad plight of children who, in large numbers, supposedly get lost every year. What happens to these hapless innocents? Aks the author. Some of them get roped into the flesh trade, others are exploited by a heartless society; their body parts are sold for mercenary gains, like organ transplantation.

For the world, however, a lost child is reduced to just another statistical figure in the files of missing people that gather dust in government offices. For their families the trauma is unmitigated. Gyan Prakash’s novel tries to capture the various aspects of the loss and sorrow, the gloom of the families and the utter callousness of an indifferent society.  Devdutt, his protagonist, whose son gets lost, is at his wits’ end and does not know how to reconcile to his loss. Gyan Prakash’s story, revolving around the sad plight of the father, reached out to the audience that responded whole-heartedly to the reading.

Ms NeenaSahai is an enthusiastic photographer. She has spent much of her life accompanying her diplomat husband, Paramjeet Sahai, on various postings all over the world. Her experiences in far-flung places such as Washinton DC, Singapore, Zambia, Malawi, Yemen, Moscow, Switzerland and Malaysia have been captured in her camera. Last year she put these photographs together along with a detailed commentary and brought out a delightful coffee-table illustrated travelogue appropriately entitled “Journeys Diplomatic and Artisitc”.

In today’s session Ms Sahai spoke at length about her lifelong passion for photography, her varied experiences in foreign lands, and her new-found love for poetry. This was followed by a slideshow of her photographs. “With silent eyes I watch the world go by,” says a line in her poem. Ms Sahai has not only watched the world go by but also participated actively in the world and frozen its myriad moods with the lens of her camera. This was an unusual session, a heady mix of creativity and autobiography and the audience much appreciated the visual treat.

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi has, by now, a more or less regular audience that attends all its events enthusiastically. Events slated in the near future will be announced on the CSA blog and Facebook. Photographs will be uploaded on the Facebook.

Ru-ba-ru with Parminderjeet

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi this evening organized a Ru-ba-ru with the eminent Punjabi poet, Parminderjeet this evening at the UT Guest House. The event was attended by a large number of prominent writers of the city. Parminderjeet, who has made a name for himself not only in poetry but also in the field of literary journalism, is the celebrated editor of the Punjabi patrika, "Akhar" which he has been publishing since 1975. The magazine can rightly boast of an impressive clientele with subscribers of the highest stature in the field of letters. Some of contributors are well-known names like Gulzar and the late Amrita Pritam.

 This evening, Parminderjeet regaled the audience with an impassioned account of his journey as writer and publisher, the various milestones and hurdles he encountered, and the final satisfaction that is now his. He spoke at length on poetry and what he considers a good poem. In his opinion, every poem must have its own music and rhythm which comes only after the poet undergoes rigorous discipline and practice. Although free verse is popular now, in the poet's opinion it is harder to write because the tools that are available in rhymed poetry are not used and the writer has to depend on his / her own ingenuity to bring in the poetic effect. Parminderjeet concluded the session by reading some of his poems to great applause. In particular, his poem entitled "Shukranama" was much appreciated.

 This evening's session was chaired by Shri KK Rattu, Dairector of Doordarshan, Chandigarh, who commented on the achievements of Parminderjeet at the end of an animated Q & A session. Office-bearers of the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi who interacted with the audience included the Secretary Shri Madhav Kaushik, Vice-Chairman Anil Raina, and Chairperson Manju Jaidka. It was announced that the next CSA event is likely to be a major one in the third week of October. Link for photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/105464712099114161998/29September2012

Tri-lingual Kavi Darbar

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi this evening organized a Tri-Lingual Kavi Darbar at Hotel Parkview. Invited poets from outside the city were Amarnath Amar from Delhi, Kumar Vinod from Kurukshetra, Darshan Butar from Nabha, and Jagvinder Jodha from Jalandhar. Among the local poets, Shrimati Taaran Gujral stole the show with her recitation. A senior citizen, Taaran Gujral has been writing poetry in Punjabi for many decades. Gifted with a melodious voice, she sings her poems, the way she did this evening, much to the delight of the audience. She was the first poet to come to the podium and her unhurried recitation of exquisite poetry in her mellifluous voice cast a spell on the audience, setting the tone for the rest of the evening. Ashk Amritsari, another veteran poet from the city who writes in Punjabi and Urdu, held forth with poetry that was a blend of humour, emotion and vigour. His enthusiasm reached out to the audience. Between the two senior poets, Taaran and Ashk, it was clear that old is still gold and that Chandigarh poets have their own place in the world of letters! Jagvinder Jodha from Jalandhar is a young poet whose has been awarded for his Punjabi poetry. It is evident that this young man has a lot of talent and is likely to go far in literary circles. His youthful exuberance, combined with his budding talent, endeared his to all. Kumar Vinod writes in Hindi. He is widely published poet although his formal training is in Mathematics: he teaches maths at Kurukshetra University. Written in a simple style with no pretensions, Vinod’s poetry is the kind that may be appreciated by the young and the old. There is rhythm in his verse, meter presented through catchy images. His are short and sweet poems written in an epigrammatic style. Darshan Butar has brought a new sensibility into Punjabi poetry. A banker by profession, he has been writing poetry of a high order. His poetry is of a serious nature and from the response of the audience it was evident that he is very popular among Punjabi litterateurs. Amarnath Amar works for Doordarshan where he in charge of literary sessions. His is a noted name that has received several awards like the Ganesh Shankar Puruskar and the Mailthli Sharan Gupt Award. His books are prescribed in various syllabi. This evening he recited and also sang some of his poems. This evening’s session was remarkable in that not only do the selected poets have talent, they are all excellent orators. By all standards it was a memorable evening. Present in the gathering were noted critics, academics, poets and writers including N.S. Ratan, Sushil Dosanjh, Rajinder Kaur, Indu Bali, Balvinder Sandhu, Deepak Manmohan, Bhupinder Brar, and Rajiv Lochan. Shri K.K. Sharma, Adviser to the Administrator, Union Territory, presided over the event which was brilliantly compered by Madhav Kaushik, the secretary of the Akademi. Prof Manju Jaidka, Chairperson, addressed the gathering, briefly outlining the aims and objectives of CSA. She exhorted the audience to continue its support of CSA activities. Prof Anil Raina, who has recently taken over as Vice-Chairman of CSA and has been associated with its activities over the last four years, was also present at the Kavi Sammelan and interacted with the poets as well as the audience. Photographs of the event

KATHA GOSHTHI 4 AUG 2012

CHANDIGARH SAH ITYA AKADEMI ORGANIZES KATHA GOSHTHI 4TH August 2012 Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi today organized a Katha Goshthi. Three local writers were invited to read their short fiction and interact with the audience. Subhash Sharma, who retired as a senior audit officer, is a well-known Punjabi short story writer who has published three anthologies of fiction, “Plot Mil Gaya,” “Mallah” and “Ashtiyaan”. He has earlier received an award from the NZCC for his creative writing. He read a story entitled “Bhatti” which effectively recreated a rural scene from the interior of Punjab, showing the changes that take place with the passage of time. Rajinder Kanaujia is a medical doctor by profession. He has published more than half a dozen books of poetry and prose in Hindi. His stories have been published in various leading national journals. He has also been awarded a publication subsidy by the National Sahitya Akademi as well as the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi. His stories and short plays have been broadcast over the Doordarshan and Akashvani. His story entitled “Jantar Mantar” was well-appreciated by the audience. Based on a very contemporary theme, using irony and a subtle humour, it spoke of the movement spear-headed by Anna Hazare. Renu Behl writes in Urdu and her work has received a lot of appreciation. The Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi recently gave her an award for her unpublished manuscript which has since then been published. Earlier she has published four collections of short stories, two of which have been awarded by the UP Urdu Akademi. The story she read today was called “Kabza”. Today’s event was a continuation of the monthly goshthis that the CSA has been holdin in order to promote literature and creativity in the city. The event was ably compered by Shri Madhav Kaushik. The Chairperson of CSA, Manju Jaidka, invited more such writers from the city to come forward and share their writings with fellow writers.

Call for Unpublished Manuscripts

The CSA invites city-based writers (working or residing in Chandigarh) to submit unpublished book-length manuscripts of short stories, poetry, plays and novels in Hindi, English, Punjabi or Urdu. Some funding is available for Grants-in-aid and the best entries would be given financial assistance for publication. Entries may be submitted at the Chd Sahitya Akademi office on the 1st floor of the State Library, Sector 34. Deadline for submission is June 30, 2012. Length of manuscripts: Novels / short stories: 30,000 words to 60,000 words Poetry: 70 - 90 pages Plays: 30 - 50 pages (printed / typed)

ANNUAL ROUND-UP MAY 2012

Thank you for your encouragement and support. We hope that those of you who attended the event enjoyed the get-together and the talk delivered by our visitor from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ana Mauad, Prof of Visual History. For the information of those who could not attend, today's event was a great success. The turnout was was sizable and the enthusiasm of the audience was evident. Shri Pawan Bansal, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, presided over the Annual Round-Up and released a brochure showcasing all the year-long activities of the CSA. Shri KK Sharma, Adviser, was present right through the program. His mingled with the audience and showed a genuine concern for the activities of the Akademi. Shri Diwan Manna, Chairman, Lalit Kala Akademi, chaired the Prof Mauad's talk on "A Common Concern: the Photographs of Genevieve Naylor and Sabastiao Salgado". Hers was a powerpoint presentation that explored the connection between two celebrated photographers a generation apart from each other; she highlighted the manner in which they bonded with the region, and their compassion for the common mass of humanity. Commenting on the presentation, Manna placed the subject in the Indian context, drawing a connection with well-known names like Rahgu Rai and others. Chairperson of the Akademi, Prof Manju Jaidka, made a powerpoint presentation, highlighting the activities of the CSA over the last one year. These have been listed, along with relevant photographs, in the brochure that was released today. Shri Pawan Bansal released recently published books awarded Grants-in-Aid by the CSA. The award winners, namely Manoj Tiwari, Surendra Kumar, Rajendra Kumar Kanaujia, Sanjiv Suri Sahil, Sant Ram, Hema Sharma, and Renu Bahl, were felicitated by the minister and also by the adviser. Overall, it was an an exceptionally successful event that brought together a cross-section of Chandigarh residents, the old and the young, interested in books, reading and writing. Shr Pawan Bansal appreciated the efforts of the Akademi and felt that more needs to be done on a bigger scale, bringing the people back to the precincts of the library, re-creating the romance of the printed book and the love for story-telling. He promised to extend all possible help to the CSA towards asset-building. Unlike many dignitaries who are always pressed for time, the chief guests of today seemed relaxed and unhurried. Even after the event they mingled with the crowds, thus endearing themselves to one and all. So, friends, thank you for being with us. And those who were not with us, we missed you, we sure did. We have some more events in the pipeline, but let the scorching summer heat beat its retreat. Wee will, hopefully, meet again when the clouds begin to rumble over the lower Shivaliks, when the peacocks begin to dance in the Morni Hills, and when harbingers of the long-awaited rains bring an end to more mundane woes, to water and power outages, and the rest. Until then, Ciao, Ciao, folks! Namastey, Sat-sri-akal. Always yours, we remain the CSA Pictures of todays events will soon be online. Checkout our FB and Blog and stay tuned.

Dickens and More

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi a 3-tiered session on 6 May 2012 at the UT Guest House. The speakers of the day were Profs Susan Morgan and Eric Goodman, visiting briefly from the US, and Vivek Atray, well-known writer and bureaucrat from Chandigarh. Susan Morgan, who is a Distinguished Professor of English at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, has published widely and traveled around the globe on academic visits. During the course of her travels she grew fascinated with the story of the brilliant Anna Leonowens who has been immortalized in the You Brynner film “The King and I”. Probing deep into available resources, Morgan discovered new information on Anna that has eluded researchers for years. These findings were published in her book entitled “Bombay Anna”. In her talk today, Prof Morgan went into details of Anna’s life and adventures across the globe, from UK to India, Australia, Thailand, America and Canada. Her stint as the governess of the children of the King of Siam has been recorded in “Anna and the King” which became an iconic film, the main source of information on Siam and its people. Anna Leonowens traveled all over the world, witnessed some of the most fascinating events of the Age of Empire, and became a well-known travel writer, journalist, teacher, and lecturer. Eric Goodman, professor of creative writing and novelist, discussed the importance of place and the challenges of writing about race and the unspoken and sometimes unsavory secrets of our hearts. His fifth novel, “Twelfth and Race” – from which he read excerpts – speaks of the story of a mixed race couple, Richard Gordon and LaTisha Nelson, set against the backdrop of race riots in a fictional Midwestern metropolis, Calhoun City, Missouri. The novel, published in early March has been receiving very enthusiastic reviews. Goodman’s work has been awarded three Ohio Arts Council fellowships and residencies at the Headland Center for the Arts, the Ragdale Foundation and MacDowell. Vivek Atray, author of the recent novel “Move on Bunny,” made a powerpoint presentation highlighting the life and achievements of Charles Dickens who was born 200 years ago and continues to be a great favorite among readers of all ages and times. The presentation was very well-received and members of the audience showed their keenness to share their own experience of the Dickens’ magic. Chairperson of the CSA, Manju Jaidka, announced that the day’s event was a part of the annual Summer Bonanza that the Akademi organizes in the month of May. The second part of the bonanza will take place on 27th of May which will also present the annual round-up for 2011-2012. Today’s event was greatly appreciated by a hall packed to its fullest capacity by an enthusiastic audience. The general consensus was that the CSA has succeeded in making a difference to the cultural and intellectual life of the city. Link for pics:https://picasaweb.google.com/105464712099114161998/SusanEricDickens

Gopal Das Neeraj - Face to Face

On the final day of the 4th Chandigarh Arts and Heritage Festival, the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi organized a Face-to-Face with the veteran poet, Neeraj. Gopal Das Neeraj, born in 1924, is one of the best-known poets of Hindi literature. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his achievements in 2007. His work is popular because he writes in a manner that touches the heart and in a language easy to understand. At the same time, the lyrical quality of his verse is impeccable and he has made a sizable contribution to Hindi literature. Many of his lyrics have been used by popular Bombay cinema. Some of the immortal songs composed by him are: “Dil aaj shayar hai…,” “Phoolon ke rang se…,” “caravan guzar gaya…,” and “Ae bhai zara dekh ke chalo.” His songs have shaped the lives of a whole generation of music lovers and film buffs. This morning the popularity of Neeraj could be gauged by the fact that the hall was packed to its fullest capacity with several people left standing at the rear. The frail poet, now almost 90 years old and dependent on a wheelchair, held forth for almost three hours, expressing his views on literature and poetry, reciting his verse, singing some of his compositions, regaling a delighted audience. He did not use a written script but not once did he falter. There was spontaneity in his address which was interspersed with anecdotes and references to his long years of experience as a creative writer. An animated question and answer session followed Neeraj’s address during which the enthusiasm and unstinted appreciation of the audience was palpable.

The programme, which was attended by senior officers of the UT, was ably compered by Madhav Kaushik, secretary of the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi. The Chairperson of the Akademi, Manju Jaidka, informed the audience that in the month of May two more CSA events of a high order would be held, on the 6th and 27th of the month, both in the UT Guest House. Further information will be posted on the CSA blog and Facebook.

Writers Meet March 2012

CSA March 2012
Meet Our Writers PRogram
Another session of “Meet Our Writers” was organized by the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi this evening at the UT Guest House. Today’s writers included B.D. Kalia (Humdum), OP Sondhi, Bhupinder Brar, Harish Bhatia and Balpreet. Kalia and Sondhi are established writers who have earlier been felicitated by various literary bodies. Sondhi was recently awarded by the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi for his lifelong achievement in the field of literature.
“Painting is poetry in colors and poetry is painting in words,” says BD Kalia who began the proceedings. He recounted his early years of poetry writing and remembered Justice Surinder Singh who used to exchange notes on literature with him. Kalia has a lot of poetry on his finger tips, could recite from memory and won over the listeners. He believes that the best poetry is spontaneous. He read some poems written at the Niagra Falls, on female foeticide, and other subjects. The tone ranged from the serious and nostalgic to the humorous and satirical.
OP Sondhi, who is a novelist, says he is a man of few words, more of an observer than a speaker. He likes to absorb all that he sees all around him and puts it into his novels. His attempt is to get inside the characters he writes about, preferring the novel form rather than the short story because he feels he needs more words and more room to explore his characters and their lives. “Yahi sach Hai” is the title of a novel “Aisa hi Kyon?” is another title. In “Main Hi Kyon?” there is introspection and self-analysis. Sondhi’s writings seem to plead for tolerance and compassion. He creates real-life situations in his novels and tries to find solutions to the problems that ail human beings in day to day life. Why don’t we look for happiness in the midst of sorrow? Is the question he asked as he read a few pages from his recent novel.
Bhupinder Brar, a professor and Dean at the Panjab University, confessed that he has not written any poetry for very long. However, many years ago he was an enthusiastic poet and he hopes to get back to creative writing again. His poems written in Hindi date back to the time when he was a student at JNU. He read “Vaapsi” – a very intense poem with strong evocative images of sickness, deprivation and loneliness. His poems have a lot of potential and if Brar continues to write there is no doubt he will produce poetry of a high order. He has the sensitivity, the imagination and the vocabulary. His images are vivid and strike a responsive chord in the listener.
Balpreet has been writing poetry lately although she has not published much. She read her poem “What’s Cooking?” Her subjects are woman-oriented, taken from the kitchen, blended with insight and the imagination. The birth of a poem is equated with the birth of a child. Balpreet writes about the creation of verse, the making of poetry, and the effort to chase ideas. She read some Hindi and English poems.
Harish Bhatia, who has been a teacher and a theatre person, has also been writing a lot of poetry lately. He read some of his poems in English. Poetry “just happened” to him. He is an avid “Facebooker Poet” whose poems have been greatly appreciated by his close online circle. The influence of theatre is strong in his poems, particularly that of Samuel Beckett and absurd drama. He speaks of the absurdity of life, the meaninglessness and the ennui. Images of the chaotic contemporary times jostle along with echoes of Yeats, Marx, etc, speaking of the wide range of Bhatia’s reading. His poetry is highly allusive; it is evident that Bhatia has read a lot of literature and philosophy, all of which goes into his poetry.
The evening was an enjoyable one with Madhav Kaushik, Secretary of the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, compering the proceedings. His efforts, along with those of Manju Jaidka, Chairperson, were greatly appreciated by all. Vivek Atray, himself a popular writer, was also in the gathering, as were other writers, literature enthusiasts and intellectuals of the city.
An announcement was also made of the recent formation of the Chandigarh Literary Society which whould have its inaugural function on 14th March, holding a Face-to-Face with Anupam Kher who has recently brought out his book entitled “The Best Thing About You is You.”

Photographs of the evening may be downloaded from this link: https://picasaweb.google.com/105464712099114161998/GoshthiMarch2012

Manju Jaidka
Chairperson, CSA

Writers Meet March 3

From time to time Chandiarh Sahitya Akademi holds local goshthis so that our writers may present their works and mingle with a like-minded audience. We bring together some established writers, some emerging voices and a lot of literature enthusiasts.

The next session with local writers will be held on the 3rd of March 2012 at 3.45 pm.
The venue will be the UT Guest House.
Stars for the day include BD Kalia, OP Sondhi, Harish Bhatia, Balpreet Kaur, and Bhupinder Brar.
Do join us for the bonhomie and mutual exchange of creative ideas.

Festival of Letters 2012

Festival of Letters 2012

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, organized the 3rd Chandigarh Festival of Letters from 10th to 12th February 2012. Some of the sessions were held at the UT Guest House while the rest were on the Campus in the English Auditorium.
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The program commenced on 10th Feb 2012 at the UT Guest House with the Secretary, CSA welcoming the delegates and giving a brief overview of the Festival of literature. The Chairperson, Prof Manju Jaidka outlined the programme, stressing that it was a celebration of literature, and an attempt to link people together with the help of the written word.The noted writer and historian, Urvashi Butalia inaugurated the Festival with a scintillating talk that focused on creativity and the human desire for expression. She was formally introduced by Vivek Atray, a civil servant, creative writer and well-known person in Chandigarh. In her inaugural address, Butalia spoke of several issues related to literature, including publishing, translation, marketing, and popular taste. Talking about her publishing house, Kali for Women and Zubaan, she recounted the problems she faced being a woman in a profession dominated by men.

Lakshmi Kannan, who writes in Tamil and in English, was introduced by Anil Raina professor at Panjab University. Kannan’s book, Nandanvan, a collection of short stories published by Black Swan, was released by Prof Jasbir Jain of the University of Rajasthan, who showed her appreciation of the stories collected in the volume. Anil Raina appreciated the wide range and versatility of her stories. The writer read from a story from her collection that was very well received by the gathering.

Rajee Seth, who has written and translated in Hindi and in English, was in conversation with Jasbir Jain who highlighted the outstanding characteristics of the writer’s work over the last half century. There is a lot of intensity in the writings of Rajee who is equally at home in English and in Hindi. Several of her stories have been translated into other languages. She admitted that she has not addressed major themes of her life because she feels they are too personal and the time is not yet ripe for them to come into public view. For this reason, most of her writings have remained unpublished. She spoke at length about the creative process and the pain involved in creativity.

Sanjukta Dasgupta, who teaches at the University of Calcutta, is again bilingual and writes / translates in two languages: Bengali and English. Introduced by Prof Sudhir Kumar of Panjab University, she spoke of women’s biographies, memoirs and diaries, and read some of her poems that were greatly appreciated. As in the earlier sessions, the focus was strongly on women’s writings and how it has not been easy for women to give public expression to their emotions. This being the 150th aniversary of Rabindranath Tagore’s, Dasgupta read her poems on the Nobel laureate and also in Bengali, translating them for the benefit of the audience. Her very feminist poem on a “sari-shackled woman” was highly appreciated.

There was also an interaction with a visiting writer from France, Brigitte Foray, who writes / translates in several languages including French, Spanish, Russian and in English. Brigitte is the director of a theatre company and spoke at length about the issues involved in choosing the right script and getting into the minds of the characters created. She finds theatre a liberating institution that allows one to give expression to one’s innermost feelings. Brigitte was introduced by Yojna Rawat, herself an established writer and professor adept in four languages: Hindi, English, Punjabi and French.

The second day of Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi's Festival of Letters 2012 covered a varied field, comprising interactions with Raji Narasimhan, Mridula Garg, Shafi Shauq, Vanita, and Sagari Chhabra. These sessions were held at the UT Guest House. In the evening there was a special session with poet, journalist and lyricist, Neelesh Misra in the English Auditorium of Panjab University.Raji Narasimhan, who has written and translated extensively, spoke about the intricacies of translation. She has her own take on the subject and believes that "translation should read like a translation; it id not original and cannot be original." In her opinion, a translator must highlight the differences between two lingua cultures, drawing from the experience of both. Translation is a "celebration of this experience." However, a translator must understand the texts, its essence and tone; only then will the activity be a rewarding one. Raji's strong viewpoints led to a lot of animated discussion but she remained firm in her convictions.

Mridula Garg, who was introduced by Vandana Shukla, has been a firebrand writer and still continues to draw attention wherever she goes. her best known work, which also became ver controversial, was "Chitkobra" with which she shot into the limelight. Garg has a subtle sense of humor and a tongue-in-cheek manner of narrating a story. she gave a lucid account of her evolution as a writer and read from her novel "Miljul Man." She was a contrast to the soft-spoken and gentle Vanita, who writes in Punjabi. Vanita recounted how she was trained in music and dance and only turned to poetry later in life. The themes that inspire her are related to women's issues but she does not express her viewpoint directly. she uses myth and legend to tell the truth slant. In conversation with Vanita was Balpreet who works as an anchor for a TV channel.

Shafi Shauq, known for his writing in Kashmiri, Urdu and English, was introduced by Mohamad Aslam as a very versatile person who has written in several languages including Urdu, Kashmiri and English. Shauq, who has written as may as forty-five books and writes for twelve hours everyday, endeared himself to the audience with his gentle humour. He regaled the gathering with a lucid account of his younger days as an activist steeped in Marxist ideology. in the University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Shauq was the one whose efforts had led to the establishment of the Dept of Kashmiri. His poems in Kashmiri, Urdu and English were greatly appreciated by the audience.

Sagari Chhabra is a theatre person who writes poetry in English and also has made award-winning documentaries. Some of the poems she read in English were read in Punjabi translation by Atamjit. Both were highly applauded. A social activist, Sagari has been involved in several human rights issues. Her writing is on political themes like Gujarat, the nuclear warfare, global warming, etc.

The evening session was devoted to Neelesh Misra, poet, lyricist, journalist, author and radio story-teller. Neelesh kept the audience spell-bound with the recitation of his poems and stories from his Yaad-Sheher collection. He was accompanied by Sanju Kapoor, who supported the narration with the strumming of his guitar in sync with the story. Neelesh writes for Bollywood and TV films, too. He has a Band called Nine and sang a few selected lyrics.

On the third day of the CSA Festival of Letters, held at the Panjab University, Chandigarh, an interaction was held with the noted award-winning poet, Jaswant Deed. He was introduced by Dr Yograj Singh who gave a brief account of the work and achievements of the poet. Comparing him with leading names like Paash, Yograj described him as a revolutionary poet who writes realistic poetry, focusing on the oppressed and the marginalized. Jaswant Deed read some of his poems to an appreciative audience. In particular, his "Conference Poem" received an enthusiastic applause.

Although many aspects of creativity were discussed, the main points of focus that emerged from the various sessions were creativity in translation, women’s issues in literature, and the freedom of expression. Each writer/critic presented a different take on these and related items.

The concluding session of the Festival was the Annual Awards Ceremony which was presided over by Sh KK Sharma, IAS, adviser to the Administrator, Chandigarh. The Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi has held a number of Creative Writing Competitions through the year for school children, College and university students. These prizes, and also certificates of appreciation to the volunteers, were given by Mr Sharma. Manju Jaidka, Chairperson of CSA, mentioned that these competitions were held with the help of Vibha Ray, Puneet Bedi, and Meenu Gupta. Supporting them were several younger colleagues and students including Neha Soi and Harpreet Bali. Altogether fifty prizes were given and twenty certificates of appreciation to volunteers.

The Annual Awards of Recognition were given to six senior writers who have devoted their lives to literature. These writers are from different languages: Sh OP Sondhi, Smt Shashi Prabha, Smt Manjit Indira, Sh Dev Bhardwaj, Sh HK Lal, and Ms Nirupama Dutt. The Award carries a citation and a cash gift of Rs. 11,000.

The Adviser, Mr KK Sharma, in his presidential remarks, lauded the role of the Akademi and promised all possible assistance in future programmes. Accompanied by his wife, Mrs Sharma, he interacted freely with the audience. Their warmth and easy informal manner endeared them to all.

Madhav Kaushik, Secretary of CSA, ably compered the program. Manju Jaidka, Chairperson, in the vote of thanks, congratulated all the awards winners and thanked all the guests as well as the supporters, particularly the Panjab University faculty associated with the program: Profs Anil Raina, Sudhir Kumar, Yojna Rawat, Drs. Yograj Singh, Meenu Gupta, and others. She entreated the audience to stay tuned and keep abreast of the activities of the Akademi.

PROGRAM: FESTIVAL 2012

10TH FEB 2012 Venue: U.T. Guest House, Sector 6, Chandigarh		11TH FEB 2012 Venue: U.T. Guest House		12TH FEB 2012 Venue: English Auditorium, Panjab University, Chandigarh
10.30 am to 11.00 am	Welcome by Manju Jaidka	10.30am to 11.15 am	Raji Narasimhan introduced by Lakshmi Kannan	10.30 am to 11.15 am	Manjula Rana in conversation with Madhav Kaushik
11.15 am to 12 noon	Urvashi Butalia introduced by Vivek Atray	11.30 am to 12.15 pm	Mridula Garg in conversation with Vandana Shukla and Madhav Kaushik	11.15 am to 12.00 noon	Jaswant Deed introduced by Yograj Singh
12.00 noon to 12.45 pm	Lakshmi Kannan introduced by Anil Raina	12.15 pm to 01.00 pm	Vanita introduced by Balpreet	12.15 pm to 01.00 pm	Surjit Patar introduced by Paul Kaur
02.00 pm to 02.45 pm	Rajee Seth introduced by Jasbir Jain	02.00 pm to 02.45 pm	Shafi Shauq introduced by Mohammad Aslam	01.00 pm to 01.30 pm	ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
02.45 pm to 03.30 pm	Sanjukta Dasgupta introduced by Sudhir Kumar	03.00 pm to 04.00 pm	Sagari Chhabra introduced by Atamjit	CHANDIGARH SAHITYA AKADEMI FESTIVAL OF LETTERS 10TH – 12TH FEBRUARY 2012
03.30 pm to 04.00 pm	Brigitte Foray introduced by Yojna Rawat	11TH FEB 2012 Venue: English Auditorium, Panjab University, Chandigarh 06.30 pm AN EVENING with NEELESH MISRA (introduced by Shayda Bano and Yamini Tripathi)

Dr DS Gupt - RIP

OBITUARY

The Office bearers and Members of Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi passed a note of condolence on the sudden demise of Dr Dharm Swaroop Gupt, former Vice-Chairman of the Akademi.

Dr Gupt was a well-known figure in the literary circles of Chandigarh. He was an educationist who had authored several books. As a journalist with the Tribune group he made a mark with his reportage. He was also the founder of Sambhang, a volunteer group that promoted art and theatre in the city. His friends and admirers will remember him for the encouragement and guidance he was ever willing to give.

4 from the city

MEET THE WRITERS: FOUR FROM THE CITY

Over the last few years the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi has made a niche for itself in Chandigarh, holding literary events on a regular basis. Several new schemes have been implemented. The annual Festival of Letters is around the corner and lovers of literature in Chandigarh can look forward to 3 days of scintillating activity. Details will be announced in the coming week.

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi has also been give Awards of Recognition to senior writers of the city, Grants-in-Aid to unpublished manuscripts, and awards to published books. For the younger age group there are competitions in creative writing, Quiz Contests and goshthis.

A new feature over the last few months is a monthly Goshthi in which writers of the city are asked to present their work. One such Goshti was held at the UT Guest House today where four writers from the city who have published recently showcased their talents. These writers are well-known figures in the city and their works have received good press coverage. Acceding to popular demand, CSA organized today's event so that they may interact with literature enthusiasts and the regular attendees of the Akademi programmes.

Bittu Sandhu, Inspired by Imroz, companion of well-known writer Amrita Pritam, a city-based resident, Bittu Sandhu has penned her feelings on human relationships in the form of a poetry collection, "Sadhran - The Anxious Wait" which has been published in Punjabi and Hindi. A collection of 45 poems, this is Sandhu's second book.

Sumita Misra has recently published "A Life of Light", a poetry collection of some 40 poems divided into two sections: In Transit and Except Love. While the first one relates to life in its complexity, the latter is about love in its myriad forms, remembered, reciprocated, unrequited and the like. ‘To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield’ is Sumita Misra’s mantra in life.

Vijai Vardhan’s second poetry anthology is "Ibadat," released recently. While he’s been reading poetry of all genres for the past 20 years, Sufi poetry is closest to his heart. Touching upon the mystic world of Sufism, the book is a compilation of 120 haikus, short poems of Japanese origin. He has earlier authored tow books, "Kurukshetra" and "Beyond the Great Beyond."

Vivek Atray is an eagle-eyed observer of society and writes witty Middles for leading newspapers. Engaged in a lot of good work for Chandigarh, he has literary leanings. His book MOVE ON BUNNY! has made waves among the literati and the chatterati of India and is on the way to becoming a best-seller.

The evening had a special guest who happened to be passing through Chandigarh. John Siddique teaches poetry and creative writing in the UK and Abroad. He is the bestselling author of "Full Blood," "Recital – An Almanac," "Poems From A Northern Soul," and "The Prize." He has contributed poems, stories, essays and articles to many publications, including Granta, The Guardian, Poetry Review, and The Rialto. In the city on a private visit, he participated in today's event and presented some of his writings, much to the delight of the audience.

Link for photos of the event: https://picasaweb.google.com/105464712099114161998/4frmcity?authkey=Gv1sRgCKeA49P_o-zlZQ

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Manju Jaidka

Chairperson, CSA

Chandigarh