Sampriti organises seminar on ‘Literature in Exile’

KS Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 30: Sampriti an organisation of displaced writers organised, a three-day seminar here on ‘Literature-in-Exile’. The seminar was inaugurated by the renowned art personality Kapila Vatsayan. In her inaugural remarks she stated ‘Exile is the pain and it prepares the mind and men to make endeavors to further realise the lost promise of Kashmir’. She said, Kashmiriyat must be undestood in the context of exile. The eminent scholar, who too spent her childhood and adolescent years in Kashmir, referred to the important role Kashmir played in Indian aesthetics movement, Buddhist art and Shaivite philosophy.

Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, who presided over the seminar, said Dalai Lama-the spiritual leader of Tibet had once told him that because of exile the narrow fundamentalism has given way to pluralistic ethos.

Dr. B.L. Koul, in his paper “Vista-pan ka purv abas in literature,” discussed the role of Kashmiri scholars before migration. He threw light on the contribution of Dina Nath Nadim, Vasudev Reh and Moti Lal Saqi. He said many Kashmiri scholars had made forecasts about the events, which forced the community to flee its homeland. Prof. Kaul said 1986 communal incidents of Anantnag were also a premonition. He added that the pain and agony of the displaced community will end only after it is rehabilitated in its own homeland.

Earlier, Mr Moti Lal Kemu, a well-known theatre personality said that during the exile 150 books were written in Hindi, Kashmiri, Urdu and English. He, however, expressed serious concern saying the threat posed to co-existence in Kashmir can have serious repercusions as well. Prof. Omkar Koul, ex-Director, Centre of Indian Languages said there are various achievements of the migration in the field of literature. One is that women writers emerged, forgotten poets were published, monumental works were written, source material was made available and a number of literary organisations came into being.

Dr. Om Goswami said that migration has been taking place since old times but this time it is more metaphorical and vicious as the Pandit community was forced to abandon its homeland under the blunt edge of the ethnic sword. Dr Bali, in his paper said that the "Literature in Exile" has not been projected with full might and verve but in a whispering manner. He said the main brunt of the exile was born by old people, whose families fragmented. What can be more painful for them that at the time of death, they can find only their spouse at bed side and not children, Dr Bali lamented. He opined the people in exile were not bitten by sever frost but by the venomous desperation.

Prof. B.L. Fotedar commented that displaced writers were still apologetic in fixing the responsibility for exodus and this had affected the quality of literature brought out in exile.