Lucknow: The Gomti Book Festival continues to attract visitors on the 5th day with the same enthusiasm and energy as it did on the first day. One of the main attractions of the festival is its wide range of book stalls, which have been created keeping in mind a variety of readers. Featuring some of the most reputed names in the publishing sector, the festival offers a rich literary experience for visitors of all ages. Apart from the stall of National Book Trust, India, renowned publishers and organizations such as Publications Department (PD), Rajpal & Sons, Upkar Publications, Oswal Publishers, Rajasthan Patrika are present here, showcasing the vibrant literary heritage of India.
Ideal academic and competitive exam preparation material for students and professionals is also available at the stalls, ensuring something for everyone. For those interested in regional literature and culture, the stalls of Rajasthan Patrika and Sangeet Natak Academy offer a variety of publications. Crossword and Pan Macmillan have added to their collections with bestsellers and international titles, connecting global literature with local audiences. With the participation of organizations like National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) and Sindhi Language, the festival is also a hub of multilingual institutions, enriching the reading experience in different languages. The selected collections include genres ranging from fiction and non-fiction to educational and cultural works, catering to the interests of a wide spectrum of readers.
Tales of Lucknow in Dastangoi
During the cultural program, Himanshu Bajpai’s Dastangoi captivated everyone. He described stories as bringing society, time and culture closer. Through his stories, he narrated stories related to the history and culture of Lucknow. He started his program with his poem, whose line ‘Lucknow mein kuch bhi nahi hai sirf baatein hai’ was highly appreciated by the audience.
Talk on the art of acting
On 13th November, in the first session of Lekhak Ganj, famous filmmaker Mr. Phonsok Ladakhi addressed the audience in a session on ‘Rehearsal vs Take – Story of an actor’s struggle in theatre and film’ with the statement ‘Whoever listens can speak, whoever sees can do’ and said that a person’s nature is formed by connecting with his body and mind. He says that the body will be formed as the mind is. A person works with five senses and one mind, through these only he can understand the process of acting smoothly. Senses are dominated by passion, hatred and attachment. These feelings should be controlled otherwise the artist can move in the direction of attachment and darkness.
Talking about the difference between film and theatre acting, he said that in theatre the artist and the audience share both time and place, whereas this does not happen in films.
In the Gomti Book Festival, which is focused on books and reading culture, students are being taught ways of living life through various mediums like stories, dance, singing, etc. In this sequence, a special program on Kathak was organized on the stage of ‘Shabd Sansar’ today. Vishnupriya Pandey ji told the children that the name of Kathak originated from the word ‘Katha’. She said that Kathak means to depict a story. Apart from this, Vishnupriya ji encouraged the children with the poem ‘Every dream comes true, when a human sows devotion on the fertile land of life with hope in the eyes’ and told that you have to prove yourself capable. While giving information, she told how Lucknow became culturally rich. On this occasion, she said that Lucknow is the oldest gharana of Kathak, Kathak started from here. Your communication can be effective only when you put emotions in it. Along with this, she told that there are 33 types of emotions, out of which 9 types of emotions were explained in detail. At the beginning of this session, the children of Mahila Vidyalaya Inter College presented a beautiful dance performance on the song ‘Aarambh Hai Prachand’. With this, Vishnupriya ji ended the session by telling the children that ‘we ourselves are the heroes of our story’. This session proved to be useful in the development of the personality of the children.
The importance of films in giving meaningful messages on social issues
The Children’s Film Festival being organized for the first time in the Gomti Book Festival has become the center of attraction for everyone. The film ‘The Little God’ shown in the Children’s Film Festival of the Gomti Book Festival on November 13 was highly appreciated. Alisha ji, a teacher of CMS Rajajipuram, Lucknow, praised the Children’s Film Festival and said that in such programs, children get meaningful messages on social issues, which is a bit difficult to give in the classroom.
The children understood the science behind the magic
The ‘Magic of Science’ session organized under the Shabd Sansar of the Gomti Book Festival was interesting and exciting for the students. In this session, experts from the Zonal Science City, Lucknow, told the children the truth behind magic and miracles through science experiments. In this session, children were given information related to science and mathematics. This session was very interesting for the children, in which the difference between magic and science was presented in a very entertaining way and they were given information related to chemistry such as how fire can be produced from magnesium.
Explained the science behind the so-called miracles and what are the effects of liquid nitrogen. Explaining the science behind these so-called miracles, the experts made the students aware of the importance of spreading scientific outlook.
Young Editor Workshop – From ideas to main news
Young Editor Workshop was organized under Shabd Manch in Gomti Book Festival. In this workshop, Priya Chaturvedi motivated the children to read newspapers by giving them information about news writing. She talked to the children about the basis of news writing, ‘Five W and One H’ i.e. what, why, when, where, who, how. In this workshop, the children also asked many questions about news writing and newspapers. Priya Chaturvedi satisfied all the curiosity of the children. Through this session, an attempt was made to connect the children with the reading culture. Role of translation in development of languages is important.
In the second session of Lekhak Ganj of Gomti Book Festival, in the session organized on the topic ‘Importance of translation in getting recognition to Indian languages’, famous translator Partha Pratim Goswami ji said that in Indian history, writers and translators were considered equal. For example, he told that when the Greeks came to India in 400 BC, they considered translators as writers. He said that during the classical period, translations of Ramayana and Mahabharata were done. Translators were seen as writers of the new style. But in the 18th and 19th century, when the British intervened in India, translators started being underestimated. Also, printers started considering writers above them and kept translators below them. He considers individualism to be the main reason for this.
Along with this, Ambalik Bhat addressed the audience and talked about languages and translation. Giving the example of Didai language, he told that only 15 people are left who speak this language. It is a matter of great shame that the local languages of India, which is a storehouse of cultures, are becoming extinct. The languages spoken by children can be saved. But the languages spoken only by parents are in danger. The languages spoken only by grandparents are sure to end. However, the National Book Trust, India is doing translation work in more than 58 Indian languages, which is a commendable effort. Such work will ensure the existence of languages and their literature.
An undeveloped Buddha is present inside everyone
In the third session of Lekhak Ganj, Phonsok Ladakhi started the discussion by saying that experience is very important, only experience teaches you. After which he mesmerized all the audience by singing the song ‘Buddham Sharanam Gachhami’. He said that if we want to reduce conflict in the country, then first of all we will have to end the conflict within ourselves, only then will peace come and only then will Buddhism come. He also said that an undeveloped Buddha is present inside everyone present here. This session was conducted by Dr. R.P. Singh, who also narrated his own composed radio drama to the audience, which was based on Buddhism and its knowledge.
Major attractions of Gomti Book Festival on November 14, 2024
In Shabd Sansar, focused on children, there will be a special session by Riya Khanna on the topic ‘Understanding the Cultural Canvas Madhubani Art’ in which Madhubani art will be discussed in detail. In a session, students will be taken on a tour of the world of imagination through stories based on why and why by Geeta Ramanujan. Children will learn to write news in the Young Editor Workshop. In the last session, Vivek Kumar will give interesting information to children through ‘Adla-Badli Quiz: Questions to Teachers!’. Famous children’s films can be seen in the Children’s Film Festival from 9 am to 3 pm. The films to be shown include ‘Paul’s Dad and the Right Button’ from Germany, ‘Saouly’ from India, ‘Pari and the Witch’ from Iran, ‘The Double Life of Hugh’ from America.
In the first session to be held at Lekhak Ganj, Professor Mandavi Singh will present her views on the topic ‘Role of Katham in cultural storytelling of the past’. In the second session, famous writer Rochelle Patekar will talk to the readers in detail on ‘Coins in reverse Indian English poetry for contemporary times’. In the last session, Mr. Mukesh Kumar Meshram will talk on the topic ‘State and society in the upliftment of book culture’ and will discuss in detail the relationship between reading culture and society. Interesting presentations will be given by the students of Babu Banarasi Das University on the stage at 6 pm.
