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.
Today`™s 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.
Other highlights include poetry readings by Sameer Tanti (Assamese), Ranajit Das (Bengali), Dileep Jhaveri (Gujarati), BR Lakshman Rao (Kannada) and Arambam Memchoubi (Manipuri).
Speaking at the function, Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari said the Sahitya Akademi is the largest organisation in literature in the country.
One can find the multi lingual and multi cultural aspects of the North Eastern region in the organisation, he continued.
The two day festival is part of the Akademi`™s 60th year anniversary observation, he said.
People seem to be unaware of poetry`™s contribution to the world, he said observing that poetry helps spread the message of love, peace, and humanity.
H Bihari said Manipur is a small State with a rich cultural heritage.
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.
He also said that poetry is the first form of literature which expresses emotion and feeling through words.
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.
The first session of the poetry recital today was chaired by Sirpi Balasubramanian.
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.