ITANAGAR, 18 Nov: The second day of the 5th edition of the Arunachal Literature Festival (ALF) on Friday witnessed a series of events that included poetry recitations, short-story reading sessions, and discussion on diverse topics by the panel experts.
Many visitors, including literature lovers, students, and others, attended the event in large numbers and also visited the book stalls and the arts and crafts stalls.
In the forenoon, author Ponung Ering Angu moderated a poetry session, which saw the participation of various authors and poets, such as Ashwani Kumar, Guru T Ladakhi, Narang Tsering Shakspo, Lincoln Mura Singh, Theyiesinuo Keditsu, Beni Sumer Yanthan, and Ato Lego, in the Rhododendron Hall of the DK convention centre.
“The themes ranged from nationalism, fragile ecology, everyday life, of rootlessness, of ancestral land, etc,” the DIPR informed in a release.
Angu spoke on the importance of poetry as “a form of self-expression which connects with readers on different themes,” while in the Orchid Hall, a panel discussion was held on the topic ‘Reimaging mythology’, moderated by Mahesh Dattani and participated in by Kaling Borang, Anand Neelakantan, and Anuja Chandramouli, the release said.
Another panel discussion, on ‘Changing narratives’, moderated by renowned author and poet Mamang Dai, saw the participation of Guru Ladaki, Ashish Kundra and Sanjoy Hazarika. The panel discussed “the pros and cons of clear cultural influence on youths and kind of cultural and literature equilibrium aspire in changing scenario of literature,” the release said.
In the afternoon, a session on ‘AI & the future of literature’, moderated by Dr Mukesh Kumar, was attended by Prof Ashwani Kumar, Dr A Venugopalan, Kanishka Gupta, Balram Gumasta and Pratap Dixit, who discussed how AI can pose challenges to writers and their creations.
A poetry recitation session dedicated to queers and their allies, themed ‘Rainbow session’, was also conducted. This was the second time that such platform was provided to the community after it was introduced in the 4th edition of the ALF last year in Namsai.
Moderated by Manabi Bandopadhyay, the first transgender college principal from West Bengal and a writer and poet herself, the session saw presentations by panel members Partha Sarathi Majumder, Sanjana Simon, A Ravathi, Moge Basar, Wanggo Socia, Raju Ghising, and Babuilu Tawang, reflecting the life of the transgender people and the pain, agony and social stigmas associated with it.
“Moderator Bandopadhyay faced prejudice and discrimination at every turn of her life, and fought for equality of the community in the society. An activist to her gender cause, Manabi started the session with her poem titled ‘Read, Reflect, Reimagine’, which she wrote on Thursday night, in tune with this year’s theme of the ALF, showing the life journey and the societal attitude towards the gender,” the release said.
A Ravathi, a writer by profession, performed a mono-acting of her play in Tamil, depicting the social discrimination meted out to the community and seeking justice, equality and dignity in the society. Young participants Wanggo Socia and Babuilu Tawang through their recitations touched the hearts of the gathering, it said.
“Coordinated by Sawang Wangchha, the session was captivating to the cause dedicated upon, as all of them clearly voiced out the message of equality, love, respect and dignity in society,” the release said.
APLS president YD Thongchi said that “our state has the most tolerant society with equal rights and respect to all, without any social discrimination.”
“Thongchi also authored a short story on ‘transgender’ in Assamese for social awareness among the people,” it said.
“Earlier, at a short-story reading session, moderated by senior story writer Satish Jayaswal, in all six members in panel, presented their stories, narrating the socio-cultural and generational differences, besides other social issues and human conflicts in the society,” it added.
“Besides other prominent writers, RGU student Isaac Jilen read out his story, ‘Worth Unspoken’, in which a boy dies of dog bite due to communication gap between parents and children and the ignorance which led to the misfortune, while Remon Longku read out a popular Tangsa folklore on the Lake of No Return,” the release said.
“The day also witnessed poet and noted influencer Theyiesinuo Keditsu, known famously by her Instagram handle ‘Mekhala Mama’, in conversation with journalist Ranju Dodum, during which she spoke about the need to normalise wearing traditional tribal clothes and how weaving is an essential part of tribal heritage,” it said, adding that, “later, a poetry workshop was conducted by Tenzin Tsundue – poet, writer and Tibetan refugee and activist – in which many young literary enthusiasts participated.”
Dr Kompi Riba, Dr Doyir Ete, and Tsundue read out from Thongchi’s short story ‘Where is My Country?’, the DIPR said.
