Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The recent incidents in Manipur show that we are still not free in many ways, says an author Sharan Kumar Limbale from Maharashtra. “We are not free from caste and there is no social democracy in India ,” he says. Limbale was speaking on ‘What freedom Means to Me?’ on the inaugural day of the four-day international literature festival ‘Unmesha’ at Gauranjali Auditorium of Ravindra Convention Centre in the city on Thursday. He said that the North-Indian perception about language is different from South-India and North-Indian always keeps Hindi language in centre, whereas south India centres English language.
Badri Nayaran from Odisha said there is no Universal freedom. He also talked about how globalisation ends our creativity. Author Mirtunjaya Singh said that freedom from the mind is the utmost freedom. Gauhari Das said he paid a heavy price for freedom and living on your terms is not an easy task. There should be freedom of language, said author Arjun Deo Charan who chaired the session Well-known Hindi poet and editor and critic Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari who presided over the session on ‘The idea of India,’ said the west recognizes that India’s knowledge tradition is rich and ancient.
Writers from Spain, Fiji , Japan , Poland, and Nepal spoke at a session on ‘Global Literature for Globalised World’. Ashok Ferrey from Sri Lanka presided over the session. Gondi , Mizo, Khasi, Desia, Kaikadi and Tiwa poets presented their works at Tribal Poets’ Meet. Besides, a total of 17 sessions on different topics including ‘Multilingual Poetry Readings’; ‘Tribal Poets’ Meet’; ‘Poetry Readings on India@75’; ‘Importance of Mother Tongues’;‘ Discussion on Ecocriticism’; ‘Literature, doctor Prescribed’; ‘Literature and Nature’; ‘Literature on Ocean Literature’; ‘Songs of Madhya Pradesh’ and ‘Yuva Sahiti ; Rise of Young India’ were held.
