Calls for writers' role in preserving ecology

By A Staff Reporter 

New Delhi, Nov. 17: A four-day long SAARC level literary festival concluded in New Delhi the other day. The Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL) organised the literary gala at Academy of Fine Arts and Literature located at Siri Fort Institutional Area of the Indian capital city.

The theme of the literary festival was ‘Our endangered planet, the only home we have, let’s heal the wounded world'. 

A seven-member team of Nepali writers and journalists, including former chair of Nepal Srashta Samaj Bidhan Acharya, Deputy Executive Editor of The Rising Nepal Ritu Raj Subedi, associate professor of Tribhuban University Dr Netra Atom, Manmohan Technical University lecturer Sabita Gautam Dahal, and poets –Abhay Shrestha, Chandra Gurung and Dr Naaj Singh had participated in the event widely known as FOSWAL literature festival.    

Veteran Indian literary figure Ajeet Cour, 90, has been organising the festival annually for the last 65 years. Cour, also a recipient of Indian Padma Sri Award, has been instrumental behind the creation of FOSWAL committed to nurturing art, literature and culture in the SAARC countries. In recent years, she has herself been funding the programme. She manages money through the sale of paintings by her daughter Arpana Caur, a noted Indian artist.  

Addressing the function, Cour said, “As the Himalayas glaciers deplete, the sea level rises and the bald patches become more prominent in the traditional thick forest lands, it is only befitting that pen wielders of the SAARC region make it their primary concern.”

She said that sustainability, careful planning and austerity was only the mantra; conservation the only chant. "Can we raise our own SAARC-specific voice in international environment fora to save the planet from extinction."

On the occasion, SAARC Environment Award was presented to Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Justice Vineet Kothari, ML Lahoty, Anil Sood and Kamal Kashyap. Likewise, SAARC Literature Award was given to Dr. Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee (India), Prof. Shehpar Rasool (India), Dr Anamika (India), Dr. Vanita (India), Arundhathi Subramaniam (India), Dr. Thameera Manju (Sri Lanka) and Bidhan Acharya (Nepal).

Deo Prakash Choudhary released the books written by poets and writers from across the region. 'Pyramids of Lyrical Ripples' by Sarita Gautam Dahal was also made public at the function. 

On behalf of Nepal, Acharya put forth his views on protecting Himalayas while Subedi presented a paper on the critical discourse on BP Koirala's novel - Modiaan and Abhi Subedi' Sandaiko Mahabharat in reference to ecology and nature. Poets Atom, Shrestha, Gurung and Dahal read out their poems and stories.