IMPHAL, January 6: A poets meet “Our Poetry Our World” was organized jointly by the Sahitya Thoupang Lup and Sui Generis Inc. at the Sui Generis House, Kwakheithel Lamdong Leikai, Imphal today.
Noted poets Yumlembam Ibomcha, Robin S. Ngangom, Nabanita Kanungo and Shreema Ningombam attended the function as presidium members.
The meet was also attended by locals who remained enthralled till the end.
Giving the key-note address at the poets’ meet, Saratchand Thiyam said that poets have their inner world and that the poets’ meet was held to explore the inner world of the poets, adding that poets depend on words, singers on tune and painters on colors.
The poetry reading was marked with an introduction of Nabanita Kanungo and her works by the well-known poet Robin S. Ngangom.
Ngngom opined that Nabanita kanungo’s poems reflected her refugee status in Meghalaya. “Nabanita hailing from East Pakistan wrote poems while she was studying in Shillong and her writing reflects her roots and experiences,” Ngangom added.
Nabanita while reading out her poetry also reflected on how her refugee status led to various difficulties in her life.
“After the completion my graduation, I got a job in Shillong but an NGO raised a hue and cry against it. Consequently, I had to leave my job,” said Nabanita adding that the incident seemed to foretell a fearful future filled with insecurity.
Shreema Ningombam a noted poet shared that she started writing after the completion of her Ph.D. against the backdrop of the bloodshed going on eternally.
Yumlembam Ibomcha read his poems, most notably “Nirvana” which reflects his feelings of being fed up with the bloodshed and his attempt to escape from the mundane with his Nirvana, only to have his wife waking him up from his day dreams and leading him to his mundane life again.
All the poems read by the presidium members enthused the admirers of poetry thronging into the Sui Generis Inc. House. Forty poets from Meghalaya and Manipur participated in the poets meet.
When asked on what basis the poems were selected, Saratchand Thiyam said that there was no set theme but that the poets were invited to read the poems of their own choice.