Day two of the Arunachal Litfest, 2018 currently underway at the Dorjee Khandu State Convention Centre in Itanagar witnessed eminent writers like Sir Mark Tully, Damodar Mauzo, Dhruba Hazarika, Y D Thongchi, Dr Arindham Sharma discuss important topics ranging from creativity and trends in literature and issues faced by the regional writers and the measures to popularize regional writing and poetry on Thursday.
The first technical session of the Litfest on the topic ‘Manifestations of Creativity in Folk Literature’ was chaired by Mitra Phukan with Dr Radhe Yampi, Kaling Borang, Ponung Ering and Dr Jumyir Basar as the panelists while the second session on the topic ‘Is Regional necessarily Marginal’ was chaired by Sir Mark Tully with panelists Dhruba Hazarika from Assam, Damodar Mauzo from Goa, Urvashi Butalia and Ravi Singh from Delhi.
The panelists elaborately highlighted various facets of folk literature, their variations and similarities from one region to another.
The day also saw a poetry session being held which was chaired by Srutimala Duara.
Several budding poets of the state namely Subi Taba, Tolum Chumchum and Tai Tagung shared the dais with several renowned poets from Assam and across the country.
Simultaneously book rack sessions were also held with Padmashree Mamang Dai in conversation with Mridulka Garg and Rita Chowdhury while Dhruba Hazarika was in conversation with Mark Tully. These sessions were followed by book signings by the authors.
Meanwhile, the first technical session of day two at the Amphitheatre was chaired by eminent Assamese author Dr Rita Choudhury on the topic ‘Trends in Literature of the North East’.
The panelists for the session included N Kiran from Manipur, Dr Arindam Sharma and Bhaskar Dutta Baruah from Assam and Y D Thongchi.
Summing up the session Dr Choudhury said that North East literature is equally a part of mainstream literature.
“North East literature is going through an important phase of transition and we need to explore the local folk and oral traditions. Due to the development in communication, regional literature is with its unique identity analogously merging with mainstream literature,” Dr Choudhury said.
The second session at the Amphitheatre on the topic ‘My Writing, My World’ was chaired by Y D Thongchi with panelists Koushmoni Saikia, Gyati Ampi, T T Lepcha and Dr Joram Yalam Nabam on his side.
Ampi who is the youngest writer participating in the festival shared her journey to become a writer and read out a poem written by her. Noted author and professor at the Rajiv Gandhi University, Dr Joram Yalam Nabam also spoke about her part of the journey as a writer and shared a few stories of her books.
T T Lepcha from Sikkim also spoke about his works in documentation and compilation of rich culture and languages of Sikkim and its recognition in other parts of the world.
The third technical session chaired by Batem Pertin, director research department on the topic ‘Short Story Reading’ saw panelists Dr Jamuna Bini Tadar, Jahnvi Gogoi, Manika Devi, Ajit Singnar and R N Kholey share their bits of experience.
Dr Tadar read out a very emotional story of ‘Ui Moko’ during the session.
The final technical session of the day was chaired by Ravi Singh from Delhi on the topic ‘Crossing the barriers: Taking Regional Literatures to the Readers’.
The panelists of the session included Mitra Phukan, Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad, Dr Abhishek Kumar Yadav and Ms Bompi.
The panelists discussed widely on whether barriers or boundaries really exist or not and their limits besides discussing on impact of social media.
General J J Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd) and also former Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, his wife Anupama Singh, Roing MLA Mutchu Mithi and Youth Affairs secretary Dani Salu also attended the second day of the festival.