Dateline Dehradun: ‘Sahitya Spriha’—a two-day literary conference organized by Valley of Words and the Sahitya Akademi—commenced at the Welham Girls’ School. Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, Festival Director of Valley of Words, and Mrs. Vibha Kapoor, Principal of Welham Girls’ School, welcomed the Hindi litterateurs who had arrived from across the country.
On the opening day, Dr. Sanjeev Chopra shed light on the objectives and history of VoW, while underscoring the festival’s commitment to providing equal encouragement to Hindi literature alongside English books and translations from the languages of India. He also shared with the young audience—through a poem by Uday Prakash—the importance of thinking, speaking, and questioning as part of the process of staying alive.
Smt. Vibha Kapoor expressed her firm commitment to promoting literature, particularly in Hindi. Among the shortlisted books, the first session focused on Manisha Kulshreshtha’s ‘Trimaya’. In conversation with Anjum Sharma, the author shed light on the environmental relationship between humans and nature, as well as the traditional structures of matriarchy and matriliny in the South and North East of India.
Meanwhile, senior poet Lakshmi Shankar Bajpai discussed the memoir ‘Chor Gali Mein Titliyan’ by veteran litterateur Jiten Thakur. The memoir addresses childhood memories, family relationships, cultural experiences, and the author’s literary journey.
In the third session, Jai Prakash Pandey engaged in an in-depth discussion on Pratibha Katiyar’s book, ‘Kabira Soi Peer Hai.’ The author and the moderator explored the text by examining caste, gender, and social realities within the broader context of national and global literature.
The fourth session focused on Abhay Kumar Thakur’s book, ‘Stree Asmita Ka Itihas’ (History of Women’s Identity). In conversation with Mamta Kiran, the author shared fascinating facts and perspectives spanning the spectrum from the ‘Brahmavadini’ women of ancient times to the phases of the Vedic era.
Renowned poet Dr Vinay Kumar captivated the audience during his discussion with Nalanda Pandey on the book ‘Shreyasi’ by sharing his poetry and insightful views regarding the many aspects of Saraswati.
Bharti Mishra engaged in a discussion with translator Dinkar Kumar about the book ‘Megh Malhar’—translated from Assamese to Hindi—delving into grief, along with the society and culture of Assam as well as the art of translation.
In the final book session, Anil Raturi discussed Ambar Pandey’s ‘Matlab Hindu’ in an engaging session centered on Gandhi and Hindu identity.
To conclude the event, senior poets captivated the audience with their recitations of poems, ghazals, and nazms. Further book discussions are scheduled for August 23 as part of this two-day event.
