Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS/JD)
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Poets have important role to play in tough times: Menka Shivdasani

Mangaluru, Jan 11: Poetry and poetic ideas flowed in all their glory at the 10th edition of Kavita Fest, organized by Kavita Trust that is engaged in the promotion of Konkani poetry, at World Konkani Centre, Shaktinagar here on Sunday January 10.

The day-long event was an intellectual treat for poetry enthusiasts, where seasoned poets mingled with budding ones in a series of sessions. There were poetry reciting competitions, book release, multi-lingual poetry session, interactive session with renowned poets, award ceremony and much more.

Inaugural

Earlier in the day, the programme began with the rendition of the theme song of Kavita Trust. The Fest was formally inaugurated by showering rose petals by Menka Shivdasani, renowned English poet and writer from Mumbai, along with other dignitaries on the dais.

In her address, Menka Shivdasani lauded the immense growth in Konkani poetry and said, "I wish all of you a happy and creative new year. I am delighted to be here today. As someone who writes in English, I do not claim to be familiar with what I am told is an extremely vibrant form of poetry which has managed to reestablish itself after a gap of more 400 years following the liberation of Goa from Portuguese in 1961. Dr Nandakumar Kamath, who chaired the special task force on the official Goan cultural policy told me last week that now there are more than 700 Konkani poetry collections in the official Devanagari script alone, and another 500-plus in other scripts written in Karnataka and Kerala. This despite the fact that until 1975, Konkani was not recognized by Sahitya Academy and until 1987 it was not accorded the official language status in Goa. He also said that only ten to twenty percent of the Konkani poems gets published in book form and there can easily be 2,000 poems per year in newspapers, periodicals, college magazines and Konkani magazines which carry 10 to 30 poems per month and more in their special issues.

"There are 81 higher primary schools, 51 colleges and more than 100 glossy magazines with multilingual sections including Konkani which see poems published by young people say 17 to 22 years old. I am only taking about Devanagari script, there is more happening in other scripts. I also believe there were very few women poets in Konkani 5 years ago, but now there are more than a hundred. So that is quite a remarkable thing. As someone engaged in poetry and literary circle for more than 40 years, this is a spectacular achievement. I think this is where we need to congratulate Kavita Trust," she said.

"In a globalized, shrinking world, regional languages are now losing out to English. I completely admire the efforts that the Trust is putting in. I believe there were more than 100 programmes over the past 10 years organized by the Trust. This is spectacular," she added.

"I have been engaged with poetry and literary circle for more than 40 years and every time I am told nobody is interested in poetry. I believe whatever the world might say, poets are very brave and persistent species who always find ways to survive. Even in the pre Internet era we found that there were ways to survive. In today's age it is so much easier to find audience, but there is a danger that too much is going out without the necessary sifting process, without patience and maturity that a good poem involves as compared to a bad one. There is a lot of bad poetry written in English, I must tell you. The problem is we are in too much of a hurry to publish. We want our book out there, we want to say we have 10 books, 14 books written, but what is the quality of the book? It takes a lifetime to find your voice, to be able to say this is a poem I have written, which I know will survive.

"The important thing is to realize the craft. Craft is a vital aspect of writing poetry. Pursuit of craft is an ongoing exercise. But while it is an important aspect of creative expression, there is a fundamental question of what poetry is meant to do. Does poetry have a role in society? Is it so esoteric and meaningless in today's consumeric and cola age? It is true that poets who try to write consciously about social issues can end up with very bad poetry, which can sound like statement and not poetry. I believe that poetry must be subtle and it must come to the world at an angle. The best poets find their balance between the message and the medium. They can express their work and views without turning them into propaganda.

"However, it is also true that we live in dangerous times where religion is misused to hate fellow beings, where wars are fought in the name of engendering peace and poets can react to this because they feel strongly about the world that surrounds them and they react to evils in the society. This will reflect in their work. There is no doubt that poets have an important role to play in these tough times. As a poet I know that writing poetry is an extremely lonely and solitary activity. But at times you need to reach out, and events like this Kavita Fest make it possible. I am really happy to see that Kavita Fest is encouraging children," she said.

Basti Vaman Shenoy, president Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation said, "This is a very big day in the history of Vishwa Konkani Kendra. Konkani poets from all over the world have joined here together. Kavita Trust president Melvyn Rodrigues is like family, and whenever we think of organizing any programme we think of Melvyn first. Vishwa Konkani was started to give recognition to all the Konkani poets. I congratulate and wish them all the best."

'Banne' Konkani book authored by Steven Quadras and published by Kavita Publications, a subsidiary of Kavita Trust, was released on the occasion.

After the book release, Steven Quadras said, "Banne means a temporary blockade built to stop water in the fields by agriculturists. No blockade can be built to stop Konkani language from flourishing. New inventions take place only when there is eccentricity. Kavita Publications has published two of my books in the past as well. I thank Kavita Trust for this."

Secretary of Kavita Trust Kishore Gonsalves welcomed the gathering.

President of Kavita Trust Melvyn Rodrigues, founder of Daijiworld Walter Nandalike and others were present.

Valedictory

Veteran poet and senior translator M P Rogdrigues was awarded the prestigious Mathias Family Poetry Award-2015 during the concluding ceremony of Kavita Fest 2016 held in the premises of World Konkani Centre.

Eminent English poet Menka Shivadasni along with poet Arun Sakhardande from Goa and other guests presented the award to M P Rodrigues. The award comprised a memento, a citation and a purse of Rs 10,000.

Acknowledging the honour, M P Rodrigues thanked Kavita Trust and said, "A poet should be the mirror of the society. His eyes and ears should be open to the changes and that must reflect in his poems. Perfection is a never ending straight line, there is no end to perfection. Hence the young poets have to be grounded even though they may achieve great heights through their writings."

He also recalled that once when he had stopped writing, it was Melvyn Rodrigues who inspired him to start again.

Guest of honour Arun Sakhardande said, "Looking at the programme and the participation of young poets, I feel that good days have come for Konkani language as many young poets from Karnataka, Kerala and Goa have been brought together under one roof.

"A young poet should have depth of vocabulary. It has to be one's strength. Only then can a poet convey his message effectively," he added.

"Today life has become very complex. We have become consumers rather than becoming producers who produce literary works. We should introspect on this," he opined.

Treasurer of Kavita Trust Averyl Rodrigues read out the citation.

The finals of II Cha Fra DeCosta Memorial Poetry Reciting Competition for Children and the V All India Poetry Reciting Competition for Youth were held during the day. The winners of both competitions, as well as of Charles and Theresa Rodrigues Memorial IX All India Konkani Poetry Writing Competion, were given prizes during the valedictory.

President of Kavita trust Melvyn Rodrigues welcomed the gathering and rendered the keynote address.

Secretary of KLCF Guru Baliga rendered the vote of thanks while Eric Soans Barkur compered the programme.

Earlier in the afternoon session, renowned director, actor, artist as well as poet Eddie Sequeira hosted Konkani poet from Goa Nutan Sakhardande. In an interactive session which concentrated on the life and poetry of the poet, Eddie brought out the poet in Nutan through his questions coined through a well researched study of her poetry.

Her poetic renditions were powerful and 'Mujya don dollenathle ek tuka divn" brought tears to everyone's eyes. It was a memorable experience for many, as the ever-smiling Nutan with her gentle nature answered the questions straight from her heart.

President of KLCF Basti Vaman Shenoy, secretary of Kavita Trust Kishore Gonsalves, treasurer Averyl Rodrigues, proprietor of Rohan Corporation Rohan Monteiro, trustees of the Kavita Trust Victor Mathias, Andrew D'Cunha and Jacintha, wife of M P Rodrigues were present.

Winners of poetry competitions:

Charles and Theresa Rodrigues Memorial IX All India Konkani Poetry Writing Competion

First: Austin D'Cunha, Bejai
Second: Maruthi Mutugar, Mapusa, Goa
Third: Ashma Govekar, Ponda

Nelson and Lavina Rodricks II Cha Fra DeCosta Memorial Poetry Reciting Competition for Children

First: Sheavon Serrao
Second: Nishel D'Almeida
Third: Prithuma Monteiro

Rohan and Lavita Monteiro V All India Poetry Reciting Competition for Youth

First: Antara Bhide
Second: Pradnya Tari
Third: Dattaraj Naik