Delhi: 3-day literary festival Jashn-e-Adab Sahityotsava ends on a musical note

The literary extravaganza that kicked off on Friday celebrates Urdu and Hindi and returned back to its original element after experiencing a pandemic-induced lull over the past two years.

Following a three-day confluence of literature and arts, the 11th edition of literary festival Jashn-e-Adab Sahityotsava ended on a musical note on Sunday with a qawwali performance by Nizami Bandhu. The literary extravaganza that kicked off on Friday celebrates Urdu and Hindi and returned back to its original element after experiencing a pandemic-induced lull over the past two years.

The final day of the festival included sessions comprising a theatre performance from the Asmita Theatre Group as well as a discussion ‘Ye Duniya Ek Rangmanch’ where theatre doyen Arvind Gaur, along with actors Pankaj Tripathi, Richa Chadha and Rajesh Tailang came together with Nirupama Kotru. (Sourced)

The final day of the festival included sessions comprising a theatre performance from the Asmita Theatre Group as well as a discussion ‘Ye Duniya Ek Rangmanch’ where theatre doyen Arvind Gaur, along with actors Pankaj Tripathi, Richa Chadha and Rajesh Tailang came together with Nirupama Kotru.

In an informal discussion on Urdu in post-Independence India on Sunday, Shabihul Hasnain Shastri, chairman Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC), said that the consumption of Urdu in everyday life has reduced amid the proliferation of digital media and other channels for news consumption.

“The least we could do is start purchasing Urdu newspapers to contribute towards wider dissemination of the language. By doing our bit and incorporating Urdu in our daily lives, we can make some difference towards preservation of the language,” said Hasnain.

Akhtar-ul-Wasey, Urdu scholar and former vice chairman, Urdu Academy, said that it was crucial for lovers of Urdu to ensure that the future generation was taught the language at least as a third option. He added that strife and hate in the society could be erased through the collaboration of people committed to the preservation of Urdu in the country.

The three-day event that took place at the India International Centre saw talks, book discussions and musical performances with an interesting line-up of literary doyens and artists from across the country. Organized by Jashn-e-Adab Foundation, the Jashn-e-Adab Sahityotsava takes place every year with the goal of bringing together brilliant presentations from different genres of Indian art, literature and culture on one platform. This year too, the festival saw an array of enthralling discussions and performances.

Kunwar Ranjeet Chauhan, founder, Jashn-e-Adab Foundation, said this year the festival was back among the people with an open audience as before. “Even during the pandemic, we stayed connected with our audiences. But, with the 11th edition of Jashn-e-Adab Sahityotsava, we invited people to leave their worries behind and enjoy the beauty of Indian poetry, dance, theatre and singing. We wanted them to be in the company of the best and accomplished creative minds of our times and savour their brilliant creations,” said Chauhan.

The festival saw the participation of people from all walks of life particularly youngsters which Chauhan said was an encouraging sign of their inclination towards the preservation of art and culture. “It is encouraging that so many people, especially youngsters, appreciate Hindustani art, culture and literature. They simply need the right platform to experience the arts and culture,” said Chauhan.