Talking point

“It’s a cellular movement,something which carries on without the support of government. It’s people like Ajeet Cour and many others in their respective countries who do their work with singular focus for a better future,” Nepal’s Prof Abhi N Subedi points out. Writer,folklore research scholar,columnist,playwright,theatre director,literary scholar and expert in folklore documentation,Prof Subedi marvels at missions like Ajeet’s,something he feels is missing in world today. “We came under the monarchy,and achieving something in those times was a tremendous feat. There was passion,fearlessness and will to change,which is sadly missing today,” he talks about the tumultuous times Nepal’s been through and how it’s now struggling with politicians squabbling for power. “What is needed is a national consciousness,more involvement of the media,the arts and society,” feels the folklorist busy documenting the expressions and stories of people over ages,in villages and cities.

As we catch up with scholars over a cup of tea,we notice the immense similarities,like Prof Subedi reflected…the entire South Asia shares a common root. We are of one mass,disintegrated,cut and divided by politicians and colonial powers. Share a word with the delegates from Pakistan and Bangladesh,and the issues are same,it’s the interpretation and presentation that’s different. “Take the myth of Manasa – the Serpent Goddess and dance of Padma. It’s a ritualistic performance rooted in Hindu tradition but is performed by Muslims all over the world,” tells Bangladesh’s dancer-researcher-writer and general secretary of Shadhona,a center for advancement of south asian dance and music,Lubna Marium. “The storytelling,the spirituality,the traditions are all the same,and we at Bangladesh perform the same every night. All we need is more involvement of media and government,” feels Sayman Zakaria,Bangla folklore research scholar and creative writer.

“The folk tradition is in the oral form,and we are trying to document it. However,the interesting part about it is that how the tribals and villagers,with no academic education,knew everything about climate,crops,cycle of seasons,of harvest of birth,of economics,natural disasters et al. What has been carrying on for thousands of years has relevance,and this is something that the governments and people are waking up to,” weaves Bangladesh’s most prominent writer,Selina Hossain whose writings deal with the common man,strong women characters and change. Ask her about the Bangla refugees,the mass graves and dark days in Bangladesh,and she feels that at the crux of it is fundamentalism. “It’s main problem of the sub continent,and as for infiltration into India…a hungry man has no borders…” she says.

It’s a dialogue to shatter glass ceilings,to restore traditions and folklore,to protect the knowledge bank that’s been handed down over centuries. Raza Rumi,writer and editor Friday Times magazine,Pakistan,takes a long look at the civilisations and cultures,and feels that there has been a tremendous loss of intimacy. “We’ve born of the same soil,lived together for centuries and a mere period of 60 years can’t sever that. What is now staring at us are three artificial states of Pakistan. India and Bangladesh,unnatural states imposed on us by political and colonial powers,” he is now trying to a find a connect,through writers,sufism and other common grounds. So is Rakshanda Jalil,director media and culture,Jamia Millia Islamia,New Delhi,who is now penning short stories on the modern Muslim. “The muslim identity has been marginalised…we find little mention in mainstream writings…either the Muslim characters are friends or side-kicks,but now I am bringing them into main frame and weaving stories around them.” We’ll keep a lookout for this one!

The seminars are going on at CRRID,10 am to 1 pm.