THE SEVEN-DAY all India Kalidas Samaroh got off to a ceremonial start in Ujjain on Wednesday. The event, based on literature of Kalidas, has gone international this time with Sanskrit scholars from abroad, including US and Germany, participating.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was chief guest on the occasion, said Sanskrit was the mother of all languages and long standing tradition of the ancient language should be preserved.
He said that Kalidas’ literature spread a message to treat with equality different creatures of nature - human being, plant, animals and stars. Women characters are more prominent and dynamic in Kalidas’ novels be it Raghuvansham or Abhigyan Shakuntalam.
He also said that a Sanskrit University was being established in the state at Ujjain and the Cabinet had passed a resolution to this effect. Sharing the reason for establishing the university at Ujjain, he said Ujjain has been a pious, ancient city with mention in religious and literary books.
Although it is not sure which region Kalidas belonged to, his affection for Ujjain flourishes in his literature, Chouhan added. He also assured that next year being the golden jubilee of Kalidas Samaroh, the event would be celebrated on a grand scale and funds would not be any constraint.
{{/usCountry}}Although it is not sure which region Kalidas belonged to, his affection for Ujjain flourishes in his literature, Chouhan added. He also assured that next year being the golden jubilee of Kalidas Samaroh, the event would be celebrated on a grand scale and funds would not be any constraint.
{{/usCountry}}Presiding over the function, Culture Minister Laxmikant Sharma announced that the Kalidas Samman given by the State Government would be handed to the recipients during the Kalidas Samaroh in Ujjain from next year instead of the current practice of award presentation at Bharat Bhawan in Bhopal. Sharma, besides accepting the demand to put a Kalidas statue in a prominent location in Ujjain, also said a separate day during the festival would be fixed for regional Malwa folk programmes.
US scholar Professor George Cardona attracted attention when he spoke in Sanskrit. State Minister Paras Jain, State BJP president and MP Satyanarayan Jatia, Divisional Commissioner Jaideep Govind and Vikram University Vice Chancellor R R Mishra also spoke on the occasion. Academy director Kamlesh Dutt Tripathi welcomed the guests while Balkrishna Sharma conducted the programme.
The CM also inaugurated the all-India Kalidas painting and sculpture exhibition and visited the handicrafts fair organised on the Academy premises.