Amazing, Spontaneous Festival by Sushant Thapa

English Poetry Session held at Kaling Literary Festival, Kathmandu

Biratnagar, Nepal– Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF), Odisha, India organized its two-day session in Kathmandu from 15 to 16 October 2022. More than two hundred writers and artists participated in thirty-five sessions in the festival.

Famous Nepali and Indian poets, intellectuals, and artists in Nepali, Hindi, Maithili, Newari, and English language participated in different sessions in the two-day event in Hotel Himalaya, Lalitpur, Nepal. A book launch of a book of interviews of Nepalese writer Mahesh Paudyal taken by critic Uday  Adhikari titled “Facing a Little Volcano” took place during the inauguration of the two-day event.

During the festival English poets of South Asia also recited their English poems in the English Poetry recitation session, which was chaired by famous senior poet Tulasi Diwasa and moderated by poet Rupsingh Bhandari.

Poets Kavita Singhal and Trina Chakraborti from India and poets from Nepal who recited their poems in the English language were senior poet Suman Pokharel, Mahesh Paudyal, Bhuwan Thapalia, Bhisma Uprety, Rupsingh Bhandari, Bhoj Kumar Dhamala, Sushant Thapa, Sushant Kumar B.K, Subash Singh Parajuli, Ujala Kapali and Rajendra Ojha. The poems were recited on the theme of love, justice, resource, journey, education, and selfhood, Himalaya, Respect for father, patriotism, and theorization of poetry (poem: The Poetic Burden). Nepalese poet Rupsingh Bhandari recited his poem “Himalaya’s morning” from the International Anthology The Literary Parrot, published by Transcendent Zero Press, Houston, USA. Tulasi Diwasa, a legendary senior poet and writer from Nepal also recited his two poems: “Tree, a mental picture” and “Sun, tree, and cobweb.” Poet Tulasi Diwasa conveyed the message that poetry is the highest artistic form of human expression so far man has ever developed. He further said that the essence of being a person lies in poetry and that all poems recited in the English session of KLF were meaningful.

The director of KLF Kathmandu Ranjana Niraula said, “This festival strengthened the relation between two nations and inspired many writers once again after the long hiatus.” Similarly, the founder and director of the KLF, Mr. Rashmi Ranjan Parida said that we are so thankful to Nepal and this festival will continue every year in Kathmandu.