Literary Forum held at Manipur College
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 01 2014: Manipuri Department of Manipur College, in collaboration with Sahitya Akademi, organised a half day literary forum on the topic, 'Criticism in Manipuri literature' at the auditorium of the college yesterday.

Manipuri Literature Advisory Board Convenor of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, Prof H Behari, Manipur College Principal Dr Kh Jayantakumar and All Manipur College Teachers' Association president Prof M Lokendro were the chief guest, president and guest of honour of the programme respectively.

Sahitya Akademi, Kolkata Programme Officer Dr Mihir Kumar Sahoo and Prof N Khagendra also graced the function as presidium members.

Speaking at the event, Prof N Behari said that the programme was organised with an aim to encourage the critics of Manipuri literature.

Citing that the programme was held on experimental basis, Prof Behari said that the event was planned on the lines of literary forums organised by Sahitya Akademi in Assam which he had participated.

Giving his keynote address, Prof N Khagendra said that although Manipur has many creative writers especially poets with many of them releasing their books regularly, the State still has less number of literature critics.

An academic session moderated by Prof Elangbam Dinamani was also held as part of the literary forum.

Dr Saratchandra Long-zomba, Dr S Robindro Singh and Dr S Lanchenba Meetei presented papers on the topics, 'Survey of criticism in Manipur', 'Criticism of Manipuri poetry in accordance with the rules enshrined in Indian poetics' and Criticism of Manipuri poetry according to the rules of western poetics' respectively.

Dr S Lanchenba while presenting his paper said that one has to delve into the history of Manipuri literature if he/she wants to have better knowledge about it.

Observing that the literary and criticism theories of western countries and other States of India cannot be adopted by the critics of Manipuri literature, Dr Lanchenba stressed on the need to develop a literary and criticism theories of its own.

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