Name of Department: English
Name of Activity/Event: Kavya Yagya Season 1
Date on which Activity/Event was conducted: October 7-13, 2021
Professor/(s) In-charge: Jenny Rathod, Dr. Gajendra Panda, Dr. B. A. Rohit, Prof. S Z Chaudhary
Place where the Activity was conducted: The activity was conducted online via Zoom platform
Details of the Activity: International Multi-Lingual Poetry Festival – Kavya Yagya
Organizers: Departments of English, Sanskrit, Hindi, and Gujarati – L D Arts College, Ahmedabad
L D Arts College, Ahmedabad, took immense pride in organizing the International Multi-Lingual Poetry Festival, Kavya Yagya, from October 7 to 13, 2021. This unique event, orchestrated by the Departments of English, Sanskrit, Hindi, and Gujarati, aimed to transcend linguistic, cultural, and geographical boundaries, bringing together poets from 35 countries to celebrate the art of poetry.
Why Poetry Matters:
As emphasized by the organizers, poetry holds paramount importance in today’s world. It serves as a medium that helps us comprehend and appreciate the intricacies of the world around us. In the digital age, poetry has been identified as an underutilized and underestimated form of expression. Despite its historical richness dating back thousands of years, poetry remains one of the highest genres of literature, providing profound insights into human experiences and nature. Poets, as described, possess unique sensitivity, insight, imagination, and creativity, contributing to the literary and cultural landscape.
Purpose of Kavya Yagya:
The purpose of Kavya Yagya was to celebrate poetry in its multilingual and multicultural splendor. With a focus on unity in diversity, the festival invited poets from various regions, languages, and nations to recite and present their poetry. The participating languages included English, Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Oriya, Kannada, Malayalam, Nepali, Marathi, Urdu, French, Polish, and many more. By combining the efforts of the Departments of English, Sanskrit, Hindi, and Gujarati, the organizers aimed to foster a sense of unity among diverse languages, cultures, and nations.
Event Schedule:
The festival commenced on the auspicious day of Navaratri, October 7, 2021, and extended until Durgashtami. The latter was dedicated to celebrating women power by inviting women poets to read and recite their poetry. The festival, aptly named Kavya Yagya, symbolized a sacrificial offering of poetry, highlighting the profound impact and significance of poetic expression.
Outcome of the Activity :
The International Multi-Lingual Poetry Festival received widespread attention from both print and electronic media, reflecting the significance and impact of the event. The participation of 47 poets from 35 countries underscored the global reach and influence of Kavya Yagya. The festival successfully achieved its goal of celebrating poetry beyond the confines of language, race, region, and culture, creating a platform for cultural exchange and appreciation.
Kavya Yagya stands as a testament to L D Arts College’s commitment to promoting the arts, fostering cultural diversity, and providing a global stage for poets to share their creative expressions. The success of the festival echoes the enduring relevance of poetry in our contemporary world.