TALKING WITH POET AMANITA SEN

NILAVRONILL: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why? And how does it relate to the general history of mankind?

AMANITA SEN: Poetry and literature are absolutely necessary in our lives. Their utility works on two levels- personal and social. By the term personalI mean it influences the inner worlds of both the reader and writer. When words come out from the depths of understanding and realisation, they hold the truth and wisdom that is beneficial for mankind.

Literature has a great impact on the society. It has been a mirror, chronicling history from a personal point of view.To know a society well, it is necessary to read its literature and poems.

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TALKING WITH POET ANTARA BANERJEE

NILAVRONILL: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why? And how does it relate to the general history of mankind?

ANTARA BANERJEE: Definitely. Literature and Poetry are essential to civilized life. Because, it widens the mind and imagination, which is so necessary for establishing and maintaining a civil, progressive society. It is communication at its best. It gives us freedom of expression, of love, of harmony, of inspiration, of dissent… freedom of expression is the basic need for human progress.

TALKING WITH POET JYOTIRMAYA THAKUR

NILAVRONILL: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why? And how does it relate to the general history of mankind?

JYOTIRMAYA THAKUR: Literature and poetry are essential in our life (1) as a means of expressing emotions and communicating ideas of a subjective nature. (2) To provide a link with intelligent culture that modern technology and trends are dumbing down and destroying. (3) Providing a vessel of revolt against mainstream society, most noticeably by marginalised groups. These three reasons underpin historical change of humanity. The expression of emotions and subjective ideas creates a realm in human society separate from the objective constraints of existence, which provides an emotional release, an avenue for creativity and the development of alternative ideas on how to exist.  They are a reflection of society, both in their content and the way in which they are shared. They are not static entities. Historically there is initially in hunter gatherer groups communication of information about origins, resources, landscapes etc passed orally. With the development of more sedentary societies and the development of writing, there is an exponential diversification of themes and styles to the modern day. Literature changes human society, but is in turn altered by the new society it helps create. On one hand it is used as an objective recording of society’s characteristics, but these recordings are then subject to subjective interpretations that may act as a catalyst for change. We must always be aware that nonfiction is literature too, and plays an important role in this process of societal evaluation and change by literature.

TALKING WITH POET LOPA BANERJEE

NILAVRONILL: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why?

LOPA BANERJEE: Yes, poetry, literature and any kind of art form is entirely essential in every phase of human life, not only because it helps us to nurture the seed of creativity within us as artists, poets and thinkers, but also to build a more sensitive, empathetic world with refined values in the process of creating that art. Every day, we grow with our poems, stories, our art, and become a small part of the collective consciousness of the universe, and it strengthens us from within in myriad unexplained ways.

TALKING WITH POET NANDITA DE NEE CHATTERJEE

NILAVRONILL: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why? And how does it relate to the general history of mankind?

NANDITA DE NEE CHATTERJEE: Literature is to my mind the oxygen of life. It is vital to awaken our sensibilities to the world around us, its people and the events that are unfolding. It takes into account the science, art and commerce of living. It introspects on and analyses the very essence of existence. Literature gives us a very accurate picture of the history of mankind, whichever genre it may choose to portray. Apart from the social and political scenarios it depicts,  it’s a mapping of the mindscape of the peoples of the world. It represents the ethos prevalent in a particular place or time. In fiction a storyteller takes many liberties and hence it’s, as in good literature,  often ahead of its time. It distills the events of history and current issues and offers perspectives and questions norms and ideas unrelentingly.

TALKING WITH POET SAHELI MITRA

NILAVRONILL: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why?

SAHELI MITRA: Literature and poetry help in uplifting the mind and soul, without which one cannot survive. Just like food keeps the body engine going, poetry and literature take care of our mental health and that’s essential for survival even during the recent Pandemic.

TALKING WITH POET SUNIL KAUSHAL

NILAVRONILL: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why?

SUNIL KAUSHAL: The power of words is undeniable, be it to record the past, the present or conceive the future. They have the power to give form to ideas, to spark new ideas by allowing us to peep into the lives of those who walked this earth before us, for words outlive the lives of the speakers and writers. Literature and poetry are means of using words to describe what different people live through at different stages of our ever-growing cultures. They are a form of expression that reflects the author’s psyche. If anyone was ever awake to the joys of living it was minstrels and troubadours. Poets have been inspiring the public in times of war, calamities and sufferings by composing or singing songs that awaken patriotism and national pride. Social issues are highlighted by writers, awakening mass awareness, rekindling the fire for change and encouraging action to stem the rot. Confessional writing, both prose and poetry is a form of catharsis for the writer, acting as a stress buster. It is essential for a creative person to channelize his heightened sensibility in a way that is both pleasurable for him, and imparts joy or knowledge to others.

TALKING WITH POET SUNITA PAUL

NILAVRONILL: Do you think literature or poetry is really essential in our life? If so why?

SUNITA PAUL: Yes, I think literature, specially Poetry is very much needed in our life. What is life without passion, heat, and deep, dark emotions? Poetry has it all. It connects people, it is the voice of the feeble, it helps promote and spread the lost culture. Maybe not as oxygen or food but then ” as man cannot live with bread alone” similarly literature adds beauty to our otherwise monotonous routine. Literature can help expand the horizons of its readers. It gives its readers an inside look into how cultures from other parts of the world differ from their own, and how customs from other countries help shape how their citizens view the world.