July 27, 2024 15:10 (IST)
![Poetry can play a key role in today's conflict riddled world believe 'Chair Poetry Evenings' founders Poetry can play a key role in today's conflict riddled world believe 'Chair Poetry Evenings' founders](https://www.indiablooms.com/life_pic/2018/1-1543519503.jpg)
Poetry can play a key role in today's conflict riddled world believe 'Chair Poetry Evenings' founders
Kolkata, Nov 28 (IBNS): Kolkata recently was the venue of an international poetry festival called ‘Chair Poetry Evenings’, which was attended by poets from across the world.
Poet and litterateur Sankha Ghosh and actor Victor Banerjee, both veterans in their own fields, inaugurated the event.
Introducing the event, Sonnet Mondal, one of the co-founders, said that as the world becomes progressively mired in socio-political, radical, cultural, and ethnic skirmishes, poetry can act as a restorative and a potent means of diffusing the conflicting values and experiences.
![](https://www.indiablooms.com/life_pic/2018/2-1543519504.jpg)
As the thought that every poet has his or her own favorite chair struck him, festival co-founder Tushar Dhawal Singh said he had found the name for the event.
Dutch Foundation for Literature, Flanders, Belgium and Slovenian Book Agency were among the sponsors who supported the festival.
![](https://www.indiablooms.com/life_pic/2018/3-1543519506.jpg)
Vladimir Martinovski from Macedonia, Miriam Van Hee from Belgium, Les Wicks from Australia, Barabara Pogacnik from Slovenia, Aruban Alfred Schaffer from Netherlands, John W Sexton from Ireland, Yekta from France, and Rajesh Joshi, Arun Kamal, Mangalesh Debral, K.Satchidanandan, Nitoo Das, Subodh Sarkar and Binayak Bandopadhyay from India participated in the festival.
At the inaugural function, a two minute silence was observed to pay respect to poets Vishnu Khare, Fahmida Riaz and Meena Alexander, who passed away recently.
The festival was not merely a gathering of poets but wove the spirit of Kolkata into it.
The participants were not only taken on a heritage walk but one of the sessions was also held at the Calcutta Heritage Bungalow.
![](https://www.indiablooms.com/life_pic/2018/4-1543519507.jpg)
Another session was held at the premises of Sasha, an organisation that is working with artisans and craft communities and promotes fair trade practices.
But it was the grand finale that thrilled the international poets -- a boat cruise along the banks of the Hooghly in Kolkata.
Visiting French poet Yekta summed up the experience, “Social media lacks physical dimensions of human relationships that are fulfilled in wonderful festivals like these. The river cruise was a very evocative experience that cannot be fathomed at once. I am still trying to join the dots.”
(Reporting by Tirna Chatterjee)
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Kolkata: Bengali actor Tota Roychowdhury, Dr Apurba Ghosh launch book on Pediatric Dermatology Fri, Jul 26 2024
Open AI to challenge Google with its new AI-powered search engine named SearchGPT. Here is how to try it Fri, Jul 26 2024
Religion of Humanity: Kidney swap saves lives of Hindu, Muslim patients in Uttar Pradesh Mon, Jul 22 2024
I can see the Indian museum sector making great strides over the next decade: Vinod Daniel Sat, Jul 20 2024
Asam Sahitya Sabha branch opened in Kolkata Wed, Jul 17 2024
Dr. Probal Roy: A mountaineer and a good samaritan Tue, Jul 16 2024