OdishaPlus Bureau
Wisdom poetry has the power to enlighten our path, said Shyam Jaju, National Vice President, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while speaking at the main event of the second day of the 39th World Congress of Poets (WCP) at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Deemed to be University.
“Poetry can make us connect to movement that would otherwise quietly slip by us. Wisdom poetry is a counsellor helping us understand each other batter. It can lead us away from hate to love, from violence to mercy and pity; it has the power to enlighten our path,” said Jaju while speaking on the theme ‘Wisdom Poetry’.
“Wisdom poetry reveals an understanding that deeper meaning can be felt in the details. Mahakavi Kalidas, Rabindranath Tagore, Sarojini Naidu, Shri Aurobinda and Atal Bihari Vajpayee are the greatest wisdom poets of India,” Jaju stated. The symphony of human feelings like love, hate, betrayal, sensitivity and duty can be seen as huge reflection in the work of great poet, Kalidas, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said, “Compassion is the basis of all morality. The society doesn’t need anything more than compassion. Poetry is the great medium of compassion, she pointed out.”
Prof. Ernesto Kahan, First Vice President, World Academy of Arts & Culture (WAAC), USA said, “Our generation is privileged. Until this generation, we did not have the resources to provide basic care to everyone. But in this generation, we have the resources to provide education and primary healthcare to every single person in the world.
Simultaneously, there is a possibility and probability of destroying everything. There is a probability to destroy all humankind, to contaminate everything. We have to be more cautious to protect humankind and our environment.” “Poetry is beauty and poetry is love. Maybe this world can be different from the combination of beauty and freedom, beauty and education, and beauty and love,” Kahan added.
Prof. Hrushikesha Mohanty, Vice-Chancellor, KIIT Deemed to be University said, land of Odisha is known for wisdom poetry. Odia Bhagabat written by Atibadi Jagannath Das is well-known wisdom poetry of Odisha. Poetry is all about love and compassion, he said.
Achyuta Samanta, President, 39th World Congress of Poets and Founder, KIIT & KISS, delivered the welcome address.
On the occasion, Prabhasini Mahakud, eminent Odia poet and writer; Souvagya Kumar Mishra, Executive Director, Mayfair Hotels & Resorts, Odisha; Dr. Rita Malhotra, President, Poetry Across Cultures, New Delhi; and Dutee Chand, Olympian and ace sprinter, were conferred with Honorary Diploma by 39th World Congress of Poets.
Parallel poetry reading sessions in English, Chinese, Spanish, Hindi and Odia languages on compassion were held on the day. Also, books of 67 authors of various languages were released.