Second ALF concludes
ITANAGAR, Nov 29: The second edition of the Arunachal Literature Festival (ALF), organized by the IPR department in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh Literary Society, concluded on Friday with the organisers promising to make it a “people’s movement in the days to come.”
Addressing the valedictory function, Legislative Assembly Speaker PD Sona said the state assembly is “opening up an e-library where access will be given to students without fees,” and also a museum to showcase the rich artifacts and traditions of the state.
“It is important to inculcate the reading habit among the young minds, and outreach programmes focusing more on literary activities to connect the young people is a dire necessity,” the speaker said.
Thanking the writers from India and abroad “who came here to inspire the young minds of this state,” Sona expressed hope that “it moves with bigger and steadier manner to produce writers and poets here, too.”
He gave away prizes to the school students who won the ‘open air painting competition’, and to school and college students who won the online essay competition held as part of the ALF.
Noted author Jerry Pinto said “every brain is a computer, and it is important to take charge of it.”
“Reading and listening alone can give productive results without depending on fate or society. Plant seed in your brain, nurture it for ten years, and see it bloom as garden,” Pinto said.
Novelist Dhruba Hazarika expressed hope that “people (would) walk in dignity and tall in the field of literature in the years to come.”
Noted poet Jamuna Bini Tadar and IPR Director Obang Tayeng also spoke.
Speaking on the topics ‘Is fiction a shadow of reality?’ and ‘Literature and media’, Pinto said “a writer is a farmer and labourer who sees (that) crop grows, and the language of the heart has to be written.”
Some of the panellists opined that fiction is an extension of the imaginative world from the writers’ perspective. On translated works, they said “most of the translations rob away the beauty of the original texts.”
During the discussion on ‘Oral literature traditions in India’, Vasant Nirgune, who chaired the discussion, said “Arunachal has so many languages and dialects, even to the extent of not reading each other’s language and dialect.”
Chairing the session on ‘short-story reading’, Rakesh Bihari said “books in different languages have to be assimilated to give access to valuable readings and exchange ideas to all.”
Retired IAF group captain Mohonto Panging said “a fighter can also be a writer.”
Leila Chudori chaired the session on ‘Writing in one’s mother tongue’, while Kamal Kumar Tanti chaired the poetry reading session.
Prize-winning poems by budding poets of the state were presented on the occasion.
Earlier, the writers and authors were felicitated on behalf of the chief minister at the state guest house here. (DIPR)