SABAD: A World Poetry Festival to bring the best of World Poetry begins in Delhi

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 which kicked off today (21-24 March, 2014), 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 programmes 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, tirbulatons and moements that can be cherished that to reach the goal itself.

He said poetry should be about the knowledge of all fields of hu8man 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 savour 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”.