Bhubaneswar, May 17: Using the web to spread regional literature is playing on the mind of writers who gathered at the Kalinga Literary Festival organised here today.
Calling for the use of technologies to promote literature, Hindi author Ashok Chakradhar said: "Regional languages are gradually fading away. Hence, it is our responsibility to pass it on to our next generation. As youths, nowadays, are hooked to the Internet, writers should use the online medium to reach out to the readers."
Blogging is one of the best ways to promote regional writings, said writer Pranesh Prasad. "A number of writers are opting for blogging in regional languages to ensure that people residing outside the state can read them. Authors should also ensure the availability of online content so that the writings could be shared," Prasad said.
More than 30 speakers from across the state and the country gathered at the festival and debated whether today's literature appropriately reflected the contemporary society.
Discussions were also held on a wide range of topics such as role of English literature in the decline of regional literature, feminism and romanticism in literary pieces, the situation of parallel cinema in the era of Rs 100-crore club, and reflection of the Dalit and tribal people in mainstream literature.
A number of prominent personalities such as social activists Kancha Ilaiah and Ranjana Kumari, actresses Sushma Seth, Seema Biswas and Roopa Ganguly and filmmaker Sabyasachi Mohapatra among others attended the event. Odia writers such as Pratibha Ray, Paramita Satpathy, Ramakanta Rath, Fani Mohanty and Arjun Charam Hembram also spoke at the meet.
The festival provided the literature enthusiasts with an opportunity to interact with writers and presented an intellectually stimulating event.
"I met the famous authors and asked them many questions that I always wanted to. Their approach towards life is quite positive and revived my interest in literature," said Anurag Biswal, a young bibliophile.
Seven new books - Confluences, Brass flower, Bhitaraku Rasta, In Retrospect, I Never Expected Life Would Change So Much, Plays and Life of Arthur Miller and Jagate Thiba Jetedina - were released at the event.
One of the organisers said from next year, they would start conducting competitions in four categories such as translation of Odia literature to English, stories and plays involving different dialects of the state, legends related to the Buddhist sites, and autobiographies on people born before the Independence.
"The competition aims to promote Odia literature and the regional dialects among the younger generation. Besides, the autobiographies would act as an archive of the history of the state," said Rashmi Ranjan Parida, the festival director.
