STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Highlighting the efforts being made to restore cultural glory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure that the people of Union Territory are benefitted from the artistic wealth and knowledge economy to build a prosperous and peaceful society.
“J&K’s official language status to Dogri, Kashmiri and Hindi is a significant step towards the renaissance of art, culture and language”, the Lt Governor said while addressing ‘Akhil Bhartiya’ Kavi Sammelan on Friday at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu.
The event was organized by J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages to celebrate the 74th Republic Day.
On the occasion, the Lt Governor said, literary heritage and creative expression of India is unique and rich.
“Poetry explores and expresses diversity of our linguistic heritage. It brings us close to the roots of our culture and tradition. It has the immense power to stir the inner consciousness. Our country has been blessed with outstanding poets and they are integral part of our history, culture and continue to inspire the society,” the Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor observed that the poets through their creation and experiences give continuity to our ever-evolving culture.
“I consider poetry to be a bridge between the visible and the invisible. In our journey, we come across many creative expressions and among those Poetry has a different time and space”, said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor also remembered the invaluable contributions of Rabindranath Tagore, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Padma Sachdev, Kalhan, Lal Ded, Bhawanidas Kachru, Habba Khatoon, Nund Rishi, Zinda Kaul, Dinanath Nadim, Dattu, Gangaram, Pandit Hardutt, Rahman Rahi, and Laxman Bhatt, towards strengthening the foundation of rich, intense and diverse civilization.
“In our ancient culture and tradition, it is said that only poets can reach closest to sages and philosophers. It is the poet who can fill new colours in the consciousness of people”, observed the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor appreciated the endeavour of the JKAACL to provide a platform to the young talent of J&K to share the stage with veteran and acclaimed poets of the country to hone their creative proficiency.
“Poetry is not just arrangement of letters and sentences. Poetry is more than words. With a bag full of alphabets, we can write very good prose and an article. But whenever something has to be said beyond words, then poetry is born”, the Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor said that the endeavours like ‘Akhil Bhartiya’ Kavi Sammelan as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav will strengthen the spirit of patriotism and essence of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.
Bharat Singh Manhas, Secretary, J&K Academy of Art Culture & Languages gave a brief overview of the literary festival.
The audience enthusiastically relished the enthralling poem recital by Gajendra Singh Solanki, Hari Narayan Harish, Dr Vishnu Saxsena, Dinesh Bawra, Sudeep Bhola, Dr Ruchi Chaturvedi, Mohan Muntazir, Upendra Pandey, Shweta Singh, Tarun Jain, Sumit Mishra and other renowned poets.
Prof Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor, Jammu University; Prof Bechan Lal, VC, Cluster University Jammu; prominent and renowned artists, and senior officers of Civil Administration attended the evening.