As part of its outreach programme, Sahitya Akademi New Delhi organised an impressive two day function at Jammu (January 5-6, 2024) to incorporate views vis-a-vis the current literary paradigms of Kashmir’s displaced writers community. The meet also carried forward the need to preserve the literary heritage handed over to the communities through “Kashmiri Leela – “the land’s native devotional poetic genre that has assumed spontaneity in the folk culture of Kashmir and an acceptance unsurpassed.
While distinguished guests like Prof. R.L.Hangloo, (Former Vice Chancellor of Kalyani and Allahabad University) an erudite scholar himself of the discipline of History presided over the function, Professor B.L.Zutshi (History, Kashmir and JNU Delhi) was the Chief Guest. Prof. P.N. Trisal was invited as a Guest of Honour.
In his inaugural address, Convenor Sahitya Akademi Board, Professor Shad Ramzan laid bare the contours of the two-day programme and the objective behind carrying out such an exercise. Since the first day’s programme focused on Kashmiri Leela– an evolutionary tradition of more than one and a half millennia, the speaker’s addresses threw light on the robust activity and output generated under it from the thirteenth century onwards under this genre. Both Hindu and Muslim saint poets of Kashmir utilized this to espouse the ardent spiritual values cherished by the communities in Kashmir.
History of Kashmir Leela
Dr. Sohan Lal Kaul, an eminent writer traced the history of Kashmiri Leela from its very inception. His lecture also threw light on the global trends and a comparative study of this devotional experimentation as the unique identity of Kashmir nurtured by Lalleshwari, Nund Reshi up to the stalwart Leela poets like Master Zinda Koul. Dr. Rattan Talashi, an eminent scholar of Kashmiri highlighted the facets of Kashmiri Leela. Both papers were highly acclaimed
The first session was presided over by prof. R.L Talashi. Prof. M.Z. Azurda and Prof. Shad Ramzan were also present in the presidium.
Kashmir Rechords Mentor, Kanwal Krishan Lidhoo, a noted writer and broadcaster presenting his paper on Kashmiri Leelas
Arjan Dev Majboor’s Contribution
Around evening, the session ‘Nari Chetna’ (Female Awareness) revolved around contribution from Kashmir’s less talked yet equally brilliant segment of society – its women poets of today and yore who held fast to their reins of ancestral style and spontaneous delivery.
Prominent poets such as Nancy Chetna, Kusum Dhar, Rajni Bahar and Santosh Shah Nadaan presented their recitations. Member Sahitya Akademi advisory board Smt. Dolly Tickoo Arwal herself an accomplished poet presented her story.
The convener Kashmiri Advisory Board along with all the members thanked Professor Shalini Rana of Govt. College of Education Jammu who provided all the support and logistics to conduct this literary meet.
