IN THE WORLD OF POETS AND POETRY!

To be in the world of Poets and Poetry was indeed verily to spend happy moments in the Heavens!

Friday the 31st August 2007 saw the world poets surging towards Chennai that is Madras, the cultural capital of India to participate in the XXVII World Congress of Poets. Around 150 foreign delegates and around 50 Indian poets arrived in Chennai to attend the Conference. Most of the delegates were accommodated in the SAVERA HOTEL and the NEW WOODLANDS in the busy Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai. All the hockey players from eight countries of Asia who were in Chennai to play for the Asia Cup were also staying in the Savera Hotel!

The World Congress of Poets started with a Grand Music Concert by Dr. Yu Hsi and his team of fifteen. Music is divine that enthralls, ennobles and enchants, goes beyond the barriers of land and language, religion and culture. Mr.Kazuo Minagava, Consul General of Japan was the Chief Guest. Dr. Maurus Young, Mr. V G Santhosham, Ms. Dr. Mary Ann Lackovich and Ms. Dr. Lucy Cabieles offered felicitations. The delegates were delighted and the Concert provided the taste of what is to follow in the next three days of the Congress and the grand tour to follow the Congress.

Come September first!- the day of the inauguration of the XXVII World Congress of Poets dawned with a pleasant climate. In the beautifully decorated Chettinadu Kalaiarangam the Inaugural Ceremony started with the Congress song melodiously rendered that reverberated the sanctity and the grandeur of the occasion.

Following the Welcome Address by Justice S. Mohan, President, World Congress of Poets in his own inimitable style and voice, the great doyen among the world poets, the nonagenarian Dr. Krishna Srinivas, Founder of the World Congress of Poets was felicitated for his contribution to the world of poetry and poets. Dr. Yu His, Patron of the World Congress of Poets delivered his speech.

Report as appeared in the HINDU, India's national news paper since 1878 is reproduced hereunder:

"BARD IN ABDUL KALAM ELECTRIFIES CONGREGATION OF POETS"

'The former President says Krishna Srinivas goaded him to write at least one poem a month'

The bard in the former President, A P J Abdul Kalam, took over on 1st September at the opening of the 27th World Congress of Poets.

Quoting Subramania Bharati and Thiruvalluvar, Dr. Kalam recited lines from "What can I give" - his last poem as President ­ to electrify an audience of poets from across the world.

In the poem, set in the Rashtrapathi Bhavan's Mughal Garden, he uses the metaphors of talking parrots, deer herds and dancing peacocks to denote the virtues of gratitude, radiating cheer and unity.

Dwelling upon the power of poetry, Dr. Kalam quoted from Subramania Bharati's poems that even presaged interlinking rivers and Thiruvalluvar's verse that enshrined a code of conduct for mankind.

He also led audience into the secret that it was the nonagenarian founder of the world congress, Dr. Krishna Srinivas, who goaded him to write at least one poem every month. Dr. Srinivas was earlier felicitated by the former President.

In his keynote address, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court A P Shah said that among the diverse streams of Indian poetry, he had been particularly drawn to the works of Dalit poets beginning with the 1960s.

An angry response to centuries old social, economic and religious oppression, the Dalit poetry merited comparison with the Americans Black literature.

N Mahalingam, Chairman, Sakthi Group of Companies, released the Tamil translation of "The Power of Tranquility - Gandhi" by World Congress' patron Yu Hsi, handing over a copy to N. Murali, Managing Director, the Hindu.

Dr.Mahalingam said poetry, the 'pride of humanity as a whole,' had the rare ability to comprehend the infinite.

Mr. Murali said poetry, the "music of words", was an inestimable universal wealth, the only one that could be distributed evenly.

The former Supreme Court Judge and president of the poets' congress, Mr. Justice S. Mohan said the organization of poets was able to pull on because the members shared "one aim, one heart and one indivisible goal". Poetry was a potential vehicle of World peace, he said.

Earnesto Kahan, Noble Laurette for Peace, Milan Richter, poet-translator and executive member of the World Congress and Maurus Young, Secretary-general participated. In the evening of the 1st September, the Kalakshetra, an organization founded by Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1936, a vital centre of artistic training and performance, presented "DANCES OF INDIA" in honour of the XXVII World Congress of Poets in their artistically constructed 'Kuthambalam'. The students of Kalakshetra presented 'kolkali' a folk dance of Kerala, 'Keerthanam' of Tamilnadu, the 'music ensemble' wherein the patriotic songs of Mahakavi Bharathiyar were rendered as group song.

Traditionally done by potters while making earthen pots in Karnataka was presented as its folk dance.

'Karam' a tribal dance of Madhya Pradesh was presented and finally there was 'Raas' a folk dance of Gujarath.

The entire program was well received by the delegates with rapt attention and pin drop silence.

Felicitation was offered by Dr. R Kishorekumar, Dr. Milan Richter and others. In the function Dr. Yu His was awarded the Gold Medallion by Justice S Mohan - chairman of Kalakshetra and the grand evening program came to a fitting finale with vote of thanks by Mr. R Ramani, the Secretary of Kalakshetra.

Sunday the 2nd September, the entire day, was designated as Poetry Day and dedicated to presentation of poems at Savera Hotel. The Poetry Day was inaugurated by Dr.S Ramachandran, Vice- Chancellor of the University of Madras. After the inauguration, the poets were divided into five groups - the English, the Tamil, the Spanish, the Japanese and the Chinese. Each group had its own venue for their presentation and a Chairman who facilitated nice presentation. English session was chaired by Dr. Milan Richter and 28 poets presented their poems. Immediately after presentation by the individual poet, there was a lively discussion among the fellow poets.

Tamil session was chaired by the famous poet Mu. Metha..Very interesting session it was where very senior poets- Vezavendan, former Minister of Tamilnadu, Bharathi Kavalar Ramamurthy, Ervadi Rathakrishnan, Porkizhikkavingar AR Somasunadaram and a host of other leading Tamil poets made their inspiring presentations.

In the evening there was a soul stirring Saxophone music rendering by Kadri Gopalanath which was extremely enjoyable.

Then came the third day of the Congress- Monday the 3rd September -the "Valedictory Ceremony". The venue was the Chettinadu Kalaiarangam, MRC Nagar, Chennai, the same venue where the Inaugural Ceremony was held on 1st. September. In the fantastically decorated auditorium, the ceremony was set in motion with vandemataram on arrival of the Chief Guest His Excellancy Shri Surjeet Singh Barnala, Hon'ble Governor of Tamilnadu. After the welcome address by the former Supreme Court Judge, Justice S Mohan, Kumara Rani Dr. Meena Muthiah, Chairperson, Chettinad Group of Institutions offered her felicitation to the world poets. Dr. R. Kishore Kumar, Dean, St. John's Group of Schools offering his felicitations assured to publish the poems of the poet delegates on their impressions of the host country India and supply the copies to one thousand schools!

Poet-lyricist Vairamuthu delivering his inspiring address segmented poetry as local, contemporary and universal and said that the base rhythm of Tamil poetry was musical. While the Tamils have translated the great poetic works of China, Japan and England not much has been done by these countries in translating the immortal Tamil poems into their languages and urged upon the poets to attempt such translations.He called upon the World Academy of Arts and Culture to establish a university for poetry on the lines of universities for agriculture or medicine or veterinary Science and such a university can offer the study of all poetry in the world and different languages.

Delivering the valedictory address, Governor S S Barnala said that the poets have a significant role to play in promoting peace and unity around the globe in these times of terrorism, hatred and greed. He added that the poets in the past had contributed to the cause of universal peace. The Governor pointed out that Indian poets had played an important role in kindling unity and solidarity and giving a phillip to the freedom movement. He said that among theTamil poets, it was Subramania Bharati who lit the fire of patriotism through his revolutionary poems, while in an earlier age, Thiruvalluvar through his magnum opus Thirukkural emphasised on leading a righteous life and orderly conduct.

Himself an artist, Mr. Barnala said there existed a bond between a poet and a painter: one giving life to thoughts through words and the other trhrough potraits and images.

The Goverenor concluded reciting a Punjabi couplet he had composed in his youth on peace and hormony.

The Governor later presented the President's gold medallions to Vairamuthu, Dimitri Kranioti (Greece), Janet Young (Hong Kong), Eloisa Acosta Soberanis (Mexico), and Lucia De Garcia (US).

"Doctor of Literature" was awarded in recognition of the individual contribution in the field of Arts and Literature to a number of scholors including Mr. Chandrasekar and Mr K B Rai of India.

A special souvenir that was brought out on the occasion was released by the Governor.

The venues for the 28th and 29th World Congress of Poets were announced.

After lunch, all the delegates were taken to Mahabalipuram and a dinner in the night was hosted by Mr. VGP Santhosham in his resorts in the ECR.

Post-Congress tour was organised for the delegates - visiting Chidambaram,,Thanjavur, Veklankanni, Trichy and Kanyakumari.

Excellent arrangements were made by the Committee of hosts under the Patronship of Dr. Yu Hsi and the Presidentship of Justice S Mohan. Mr. V K Narendra was the Secretary General and Dr. G Manilal was the Joint Secretary. Each and every Delegate appreciated the tireless work of Ms. Shanthi Mohan, Co-ordinator. Dr. N Mahalingam, Mr. N Ananthapadmanathan, Mr G Krishnan, Dr. V Sethukumanan, Prof. Dr. Lathamazumdar, Ms.S Selvi Ravindran and Mrs.K Pankajam were the members of the Reception Committee. Besides M/S Sunder, Sukumar, Senthil, Mrs. Narendra and Ms Devi made significant contribution for the successful conduct of the memorable event.

In retrospect, I feel that the XXVII World Congress has definitely achieved several steps towards achieving "World Brotherhood and Peace Through Poetry". The delegates could experience that "Poetry Purifies Human Lives".

On 2nd September, a delegation pf poets representing the WCP called on the Governor Surjeet Singh Barnala. The team was led by President of the WCP Justice S Mohan and included its patron Yu Hsi and other executive committee members.

N.V. Subbaraman