Events and Programs Parallel Literature Festival
Parallel Literature Festival
January 27 - 29, 2019
Jaipur, Ram Nivas Garden, Ravindra Manch
The second edition of the three-day Parallel Literature Festival was supported by the Kaavya Foundation, and organised by the Progressive Writers Association, Rajasthan. The festival was inaugurated at Ravindra Manch on the 27th of January and concluded on the 29th of January with a ghazal evening remembering the legendary poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The festival spanning three days witnessed several well-known writers, poets and journalists from across the country.
During the course of the three days, the festival held poetry readings, book launches, story telling sessions, panel discussions on various topics, a painting exhibition and live music.
The English Poetry reading Session at the Parallel Literature Festival
27th Jan, 2019 | Inaugural Ceremony
The founder of The Kaavya Foundation, Dr. Pariksith Singh was invited to share his thoughts at the inaugural ceremony, at the Rahul Sankrityayan amphitheatre of the Ravindra Manch. He said in his address that truth is above everything. The synthesis found in Marx’s dialectical materialism is the same truth that remains sempiternal in every age and circumstance. He said that a seed is a complete universe in itself. It carries all possibilities within it. Similarly, the word parallel carries meanings like parallel truths and universes that exist simultaneously. Light does not require to fight off any darkness. Even the parallel universes are being driven by truth itself. The Parallel Literature Festival that we celebrate must be inclusive in nature, so if all kinds of creative writings are included, only then can it be a parallel festival int he true sense. A stage which is inclusive of all dimensions of truth.
28th Jan, 2019 | Poetry Reading
On the second day of the Parallel Literature Festival, an English Poetry Reading event was organised by the Kaavya Foundation. The event started with book launches of three books of poetry. Justice S.S. Kothari, Justice V.S. Dave, and Justice P.C. Jain launched the books. Two volumes of poetry by Dr. Pariksith Singh, namely, ‘Radha’s Geet’ (poems in English) and ‘Kshitijon ke Paar’ (poems in Hindi) and ‘ A Passionate Edge’, a volume of English poetry by Lavanya Pali were released at the event. The event was graced by senior administrators, social activists, poets, authors and other dignitaries.
The Poetry Reading Session was conducted by Partho. Dr. Pariksith Singh, Dr. Markand Paranjpe, Dr. Mohammed Hassan and Arwa Qutbuddin read their poems. Mr. Veer Saxena read out a poem by Dr. Pariksith Singh from his book, ‘Radha’s Geet’. Arwa Qutbuddin read some of her poems including ‘Rainbow in a Puddle’, ‘Lightness’ and ‘Having Tea with my Demons’. Prof. Mohammed Hassan read a few of his poems Including the ‘Needle’, ‘These are not Cobwebs’. Dr. Pariksith Singh read poems from his books. He read an English poem from his col-12 p-1lection of verses ‘There was a Girl I Loved Once’, and from his book, ‘Radha’s Geet’.’ Dr. Paranjape also recited some of his poems, including ‘Holi’.
The poetry reading was followed by an interactive session with the audience. Topics like receiving the national languages and making Indian literature more popular and infusing modern writing with deeper values were discussed.
The English Poetry reading Session at the Parallel Literature Festival
29th Jan, 2019 | Valedictory Ceremony
The closing ceremony of the Parallel Literature included a beautiful evening of ghazals by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. At the valedictory address, Dr. Pariksith Singh concluded in the same vein in which he had given his Keynote Address at the opening ceremony of the Festival. ‘A seed has a special quality, namely only what is inside the seed will blossom. If we resolve to plant the seed of truth, then our efforts will be successful.’, said Dr. Singh. He impressed upon the importance of recognizing that this truth is within all of us.
He emphasised that we must have empathy for others by recognizing and accepting the sameness within us and the other and embracing this oneness.
Quoting Sartre, Dr. Pariksith Singh said, ‘Hell is the other.’ He said, had Sartre been aware of Indian philosophy, he would have said, ‘There is no other.’
‘The real revolution is love, to know that the other is me. The light that gives rise to darkness is not the light of truth. There is no darkness in the light of truth.’, elaborated Dr. Singh.
Dr. Singh stressed upon the need of encouraging originality and the role of mentorship to encourage writers to express themselves in their own voice. The corrosion and degradation in languages, laziness in our hearts are our enemies. Winning hearts through discussion, love and kindness and a sense of fraternity are our friends. He concluded his address with the hope that we understand another’s joy as our own and make the search for truth our aim.
