Dogri Sanstha keeps literary torch burning during Corona pandemic

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Apr 25: Keeping the literary torch burning even in times of Corona pandemic, Dogri Sanstha Jammu today held its third fortnightly literary get-together (Goshthi) through online platform, since lockdown was announced.
For past over 20 years, fortnightly literary get-togethers are a regular activity of Dogri Sanstha, held on every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. Sanstha considers this activity as most important for continuous stimulation and creation of Dogri literature. In these literary meets, veteran and new young budding writers read their literary pieces on which the senior writers express their constructive and frank opinions. This way Sanstha has groomed many popular and quality writers of today.
Realizing the significance of these get-togethers, Sanstha decided to continue with this tradition even in this difficult time of lockdown, of course through online platform of WhatsApp group of Dogri Sanstha Jammu. The response of writers to this Virtual Kavi-Goshthi was most encouraging and gratifying.
The first such Goshti was held on 28 March 2020. Looking at the overwhelming response, Sanstha also decided to post all these literary poems on Sanstha’s Facebookpage for the wider public reach.
The quality and level of the poetry is very heartening and will make any Dogra proud of his mother tongue. Perhaps, imposed solitude, has provided environment of contemplation and introspection, which has resulted into such profound poetry. In today’s virtual kavi-goshthi, 22 poets participated. Those who participated include:- Inderjeet Kesar, Gyaneshwar Sharma, Dr Arvind (Kuwait), Vijaya Thakur, Abdul Qadir Kundaria, Dr Bansi Lal, Prof Shashi Pathania (USA), Pawan Verma, Usha Kiran, Promila Manhas, Dr Ashok Khajuria, Dr Chanchal Bhasin, Ashok Angurana, Vijay Saraf, (Meeneghi), Brij Mohan, Dr Nirmal Vinod, Sham Sajan, Hina Chaudhary, Ratan Bhardwaj, Kuldeep Kippi, Susheel Begana and Prof Lalit Magotra.
It may be noted that the poets from outside Jammu and India, regardless of their location, used video, audio, and text to link up online for virtual goshthi.