Why govt funds for sahitya sammelan?
CAMIL PARKHE
Sakaal times
Friday, March 05, 2010 AT 12:44 PM (IST)
Tags: Point of view, ABMSS, fund, VSS, Sahitya sammelan
http://www.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20100305/5497755909320607061.htm
The next all-India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan will be held in Pune later this month. Like every year, the state government will act generous and patronise the literary meet by doling out funds for organising the meet. The Vidrohi or rebellious cultural movement leaders have once again expressed vehement opposition to this largess. There is some logic in the stance adopted by the Vidrohi leaders. The Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, a 135-year-old cultural legacy, is a unique literary phenomenon in the country. It is a feast for Marathi literature fans and book publishers. But that is no justification for the political rulers to allot huge funds for the extravaganza and in reciprocation expect to be on the dais and hog the limelight during the sammelan.
The Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, the apex Marathi literary body which conducts the sammelan every year, has crossed the country's borders from last year to hold a worldwide Marathi sahitya sammelan. This is in addition to the over-100 Marathi literary conferences held annually or on an irregular basis. These include Vidrohi sahitya sammelan, rural sahitya sammelan, Konkan sahitya sammelan, Khristi sahitya sammelan, Dalit Khristi sahitya sammelan, Muslim sahitya sammelan, Bal sahitya sammelan, and Kumar sahitya sammelan.
All these promote Marathi and so it would not be wrong for their hosts to seek government funds. The government may not be averse to helping the hosts of all these sammelans. The all-India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan's organisers cannot claim that they have a right to government aid. The annual sahitya sammelans are a jamboree for the publishing industry, a self-promoting event for the political host, if the activities and the menu at the three-day events are any indications. There is no reason why the state should sacrifice public funds to satisfy the appetite of these people. The popularity of a literary work does not depend on recognition by the government or by any government-sponsored body. The government bearing the major chunk of the financial burden of the all-India or the worldwide literary meet will not boost Marathi literature. It will only further pamper the ego of the sammelan hosts and those associated with it. If the government is really keen on promoting Marathi literature, it should use the funds to subsidise literary works which win the state government's annual awards as the Vidrohi movement leaders have suggested.
CAMIL PARKHE
Sakaal times
Friday, March 05, 2010 AT 12:44 PM (IST)
Tags: Point of view, ABMSS, fund, VSS, Sahitya sammelan
http://www.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20100305/5497755909320607061.htm
The next all-India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan will be held in Pune later this month. Like every year, the state government will act generous and patronise the literary meet by doling out funds for organising the meet. The Vidrohi or rebellious cultural movement leaders have once again expressed vehement opposition to this largess. There is some logic in the stance adopted by the Vidrohi leaders. The Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, a 135-year-old cultural legacy, is a unique literary phenomenon in the country. It is a feast for Marathi literature fans and book publishers. But that is no justification for the political rulers to allot huge funds for the extravaganza and in reciprocation expect to be on the dais and hog the limelight during the sammelan.
The Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, the apex Marathi literary body which conducts the sammelan every year, has crossed the country's borders from last year to hold a worldwide Marathi sahitya sammelan. This is in addition to the over-100 Marathi literary conferences held annually or on an irregular basis. These include Vidrohi sahitya sammelan, rural sahitya sammelan, Konkan sahitya sammelan, Khristi sahitya sammelan, Dalit Khristi sahitya sammelan, Muslim sahitya sammelan, Bal sahitya sammelan, and Kumar sahitya sammelan.
All these promote Marathi and so it would not be wrong for their hosts to seek government funds. The government may not be averse to helping the hosts of all these sammelans. The all-India Marathi Sahitya Sammelan's organisers cannot claim that they have a right to government aid. The annual sahitya sammelans are a jamboree for the publishing industry, a self-promoting event for the political host, if the activities and the menu at the three-day events are any indications. There is no reason why the state should sacrifice public funds to satisfy the appetite of these people. The popularity of a literary work does not depend on recognition by the government or by any government-sponsored body. The government bearing the major chunk of the financial burden of the all-India or the worldwide literary meet will not boost Marathi literature. It will only further pamper the ego of the sammelan hosts and those associated with it. If the government is really keen on promoting Marathi literature, it should use the funds to subsidise literary works which win the state government's annual awards as the Vidrohi movement leaders have suggested.
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