ANNUAL ROUND-UP

CHANDIGARH SAHITYA AKADEMI ANNUAL ROUND-UP

The Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi (CSA) held an impressive function at the Govt Museum auditorium in Sector 10, on 24th April, 2009. The event comprised a Round-Up of the Akademi’s activities during 2008-09, a Book Release Event, and a Poetry Session. Mr Pradip Mehra, Adviser to the Administrator, presided over the proceedings which were attended by a highly appreciative audience in a hall packed to its capacity.

Prof Manju Jaidka, Chairperson, CSA, made a power-point presentation listing all the activities held during the past year. These included Creative Writing Workshops, Kavi Sammelans, Book Readings, Panel Discussions, Quiz Contests, Literary Discussions, Lectures and Symposia. The CSA has been actively engaged in reaching out to a cross-section of people, involving them in all its events. Highlighting major events of the coming year, Prof Jaidka urged the audience to join the CSA’s efforts in adding vibrancy to the intellectual atmosphere of the city. An illustrated brochure, “Round-Up 2008-2009”, listing the main achievements of the Akademi was presented to Mr Mehra.

The function also marked the release of four anthologies published by the CSA, two in Hindi and two in Punjabi. These anthologies showcase the talent of writers from Chandigarh, compiling their short stories and poems. Their publication is the result of the dedicated effort of a team of editors headed by Dr DS Gupt. In the forthcoming session the CSA proposes to bring out poetry /short story anthologies in English.

The final event of the day, chaired by Principal Dr Harinderjit Kaur, was aptly called “A Gathering of Nightingales”. It brought together a dozen women writers who recited their poems in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. A senior poet, Taaran Gujral, in particular, went down extremely well with the audience with her poem on “Titli”. Other women poets who recited their poems included Roopa Saba, Yojana Rawat, Gurdeep Kaur “Gul” and Gurminder Sidhu.

Compered with great dexterity by Mr Madhav Kaushik, Secretary, CSA, and Ms Suchitra, the function was an extremely successful event, rich and satisfying. The audience was highly appreciative of the Round-Up. In fact many of them were heard commenting that such an event made history, being the first of its kind in Chandigarh. The Chief Guest, Mr Mehra, complimented the CSA’s effort to make a difference to the culture of the City and expressed his hope that in the coming years this would be not just a beautiful city built of brick and mortar, but a place where literature, culture and art flourish in abundance.

Round-Up and More!

MEET THE WRITERS

As part of the Chandigarh Arts and Heritage Festival being held by the UT Administration, the Chadnigarh Sahitya Akademi organized a "Meet the Writers" event at the Govt. Arts Museum Auditorium today. Two very well-known writers were brought in from Delhi --Githa Hariharan and Manjula Padmanabhan. They read from their recent works and interacted with the audience over a question and answer session. The event was chaired by Prof M.L. Raina, a well-known and well-loved intellectual from the city.

In conversation with Manjula Padmanabhan was Prof Gulshan Rai Kataria from Punjabi University, Patiala. He introduced the writer to the audience, outlined he main contribution to literature, and asked her questions related to her work. Ms Padmanabhan read from her recent novel, Escape.

Likewise, Githa Hariharan was introduced by Prof Mina Surjit Singh, formerly from Panjab Univeristy, Chandigarh, who synopsized the literary achievements of Githa Hariharan, spoke briefly about the writer's earlier works, and asked her questions on her craft and ideology. Ms Hariharan read from her new book, Fugitive Histories.

The readings and the question answer session turned out to be very absorbing. After the event two writers were thronged by the audience who wanted signed copies of their books. It was evident that the event was enjoyed by one and all.

Prof Rajnish Wattas, Director of TagoreTheatre and Coordinator of the Chandigarh Heritage Program, was also present in audience.

SAMAY SE SAMVAD

In its “Face to Face” programme, Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi organized “Samay Se Samvad: A Dialogue with Time”- a special interface with Padmashree, eminent Hindi poet, novelist and thinker, Prof. Ramesh Chandra Shah at the State Library Hall, Sector 34, Chandigarh on 7 March 2009. The Session was chaired by Prof. Ramakant Angiras, Former Kalidas Professor of Sanskrit, Panjab University, Chandigarh, and the Ramanadachaya Puruskar awardee (2008) for his remarkable contribution to Indian culture and philosophy.

Through the recitation of his poems culled from such volumes as “Kachhue Ki Peeth Par”, “Harishchandra Aao”, “Nadi Bhagati Aaee”, “Chak Par”, “Dekhate Hein Shabda Apana Bhi Samay”, and “Anaagarik” Prof. Ramesh Chandra Shah emphasized the overwhelming challenge a creative writer faces in terms of representing the interaction between her /his “kaal-chetana or time-consciousness” and “kalaa-chetana or creative-consciousness”. This creative encounter between results into an aesthetic dialogue between “word” and “world” , which is enriched by newer and newer combinations of “sabda”, “artha”, “samay”, and “sanskriti” – which are known as “sahitya” in the Indian tradition. Because of this well-entrenched notion of cyclic “Samay or Time” – which is temporal and timeless both, Indian tradition does not suffer from the pathological obsession of the West with “dwanda or conflict” between tradition and modernity or post-modernity.

Prof. Shah said that in no other language of the world, this creative–continuum suggested by “akaal-kaal-kalaa-Kalaakriti-Kalakaar” is found. He quoted lines from his famous poem (Shabda, Batao):- “ Shabda, Batao/Kahana Kya Hai? Shabda, Batao Kahana hai?” and “Rachana/Bach jana Hai/Apane aur tumhare/ Vish ka pach jana hai”. He underlined the literary /art tradition of India which demands an artist/poet to be a “cultural leader- a saanskritic naayak”- whose art and aesthetics should be grounded in the aesthetics of existence. Only by belonging to time, one can go beyond time.

In his presidential remarks, Prof. Ramakant Angiras explained the contours of the Indian literary tradition where “sabda-sadhana” is a sine qua non for being a true writer. He said that the infinite connections between a writer’s “drishti”, “darshan” and “drashya”- are manifest as Kavya or Sahitya.

The session was attended by the leading intellectuals of the city, teachers, research scholars and students who enlivened the event with an interesting “Question-Hour” session. Prof Alok Bhalla, formerly from CIEFL, Hyderabad, now at Jamia Milia and an active member of the national Sahitya Akademi in Delhi, also attended the event. Prof. Sushila Singh, from Banaras Hindu University, and Prof Aneel Raina, Chairperson, Dept Of English, Panjab University,Chandigarh, also graced the occasion with their presence.

Earlier, Sudhir Kumar introduced the speaker, Manju Jaidka (Chairperson, CSA), welcomed the guests. D.S. Gupt (Vice-Chairperson, CSA) delivered the Vote of Thanks.

7th March 2009

CHANDIGARH SAHITYA AKADEMI

INVITES YOU TO


"Samaya Se Samvad: A Dialogue with Time"


Speaker: Prof Ramesh Chandra Shah
(eminent Hindi writer and thinker)

To be chaired by: Prof Ramakant Angiras

Venue: Multi-purpose Hall, First Floor, State Library, Sector 34
on Saturday, March 7, 2009, at 3.30 pm

rsvp: sahitakad2008@gmail.com


(Please join us for an informal interaction with the speaker over a cup of tea at 3.30)

ETHICS AND THE MEDIA

Sahitya Akademi organized a panel discussion on Ethics and the Media at its premises in the State Library of Sector 34. Participating in the event were several lead figures from the media.


Prof Manju Jaidka, Chairperson of the Akademi, welcomed the guests and introduced the main speakers. Chairing the panel was Mr Kanwar Sandhu of Hindustan Times. The main speakers were Ashwini Bhatnagar, Head of the new Voice of India TV Channel in Uttar Pradesh, Nirupama Dutt who now writes for Sunday Indian, Mohanmeet Khosla, the Chairperson of Panjab University's School of Communication Studies, and Dinesh Kumar, erstwhile Resident Editor of TOI, Chandigarh.

Kanwar Sandhu initiated the discussion with an overview of the main issues involved in media ethics. He stressed upon the social responsibility of the media and on the importance of maintaining moral standards.


Ashwini Bhatnagar, who has earlier spent several years in Chandigarh working for the Tribune, was of the opinion that the media is a powerful medium which should remain aware of its rights as well as duties. Nirupama Dutt, who is also a well-known journalist in this region, has been writing and reporting for more than three decades.


Mohanmeet Khosla's was a power-point presentation that highlighted problem areas in journalism career. In particular she spoke passionately about the objectification of womanhood in advertisements and of the sexual disrespect shown towards women. Dinesh Kumar, after completing a sabbatical in Australia, has recently returned to Chandigarh to resume his journalistic career. He talked about the commercialization of news reporting and the fact that information now been combined with entertainment so that now we have ‘infotainment’. The four panelists interacted with the audience in a lively debate, putting forward divergent views on ethical standpoints in the media.

Among the various issues discussed were the hidden agendas behind newspaper reporting, the reasons why a certain kind of news makes headline while another kind may be totally ignored. The audience was also interested in the gaps and silences in media coverage -- why do some events grab the attention of the public? What is the nature of truth represented by the media? How much of influence does the media wield and how is this influence manipulated?
The discussion was followed by a lively interaction with the audience. Like other events of the CSA, this one, too turned out to be interesting, instructive and and intellectually rewarding.

The next CSA event will be a talk by Dr Ramesh Chandra Shah, eminent Hindi writer of Bhopal. It will be held on March 7th, at the same time, same place.

DREAM INTERPRETATION

Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi organized a Talk-cum-Presentation on the “Interpretation of Dreams” by Madhu Tandan who is visiting the city to launch her new book Dreams and Beyond: Find Your Way in the Dark.

In a talk illustrated by a power-point presentation, Madhu Tandan, laid emphasis on the multiplicity of the dream experience – scientific, religious, paranormal, and psychological – and the importance of a deeper awareness of our inner selves of which the dreaming state is but an important aspect. She explored the heterogeneity of the dream experience and said that the interpretation of a dream necessitates many different strategies of ‘reading’. In order to know ourselves and our secret universe, we have to know our dreams. Madhu deliberated on various perspectives, including neuroscience, psychology, parapsychology, and spirituality, which give a rounded picture of how our dreams partially determine who we are.

The session was chaired by Prof Mina Surjit Singh, formerly from the Dept of English, Panjab University, Chandigarh, who, in her presidential remarks, emphasized the relevance of ‘dream-reading’ to the study of literature and to literary theory.

The event was attended by eminent intellectuals of the city. Prof Manju Jaidka, Chairperson of the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi, interacted with the audience and announced that the next event, to be held at the Akademi’s premises on the 28th of Feb 2009, from 3.30 to 5.30 pm, will be a panel discussion on “Ethics and the Media” which will be chaired by Mr Kanwar Sandhu of Hindustan Times. The panel will include some eminent journalists and promises interesting fare.

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