Songs, poetry and stories unite audiences at 'Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival'

Indian actorsinger Piyush Mishra acclaimed singer Ila Arun and exdiplomat Vikas Swarup were among the eminent speakers at the fourth edition of the annual Kathmandu Kalinga Literary Festival KLFThe twoday festival which concluded on Sunday at Hotel Himalaya in Lalitpur was centered on the theme Beyond Borders South Asian Literature in a Changing World Towards the Imagination of a Shared FutureThe event was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Sushila KarkiOne of the key attractions on the opening day was Mishras session based on his autobiography Tumhari Aukaat Kya Hai Piyush MishraMishra a multihyphenate is known for sociallyconscious songs such as Aarambh and Duniya in Gulaal Ik Bagal in Gangs of Wasseypur Ghar and Husna in Coke StudioDuring the discussion he reflected on his complex childhood his passion for theatre and the determination required to pursue an artistic career despite his familys expectationsArun the renowned voice behind multiple hits such as Morni Baaga Ma Bole and pop tracks Bichhuda and Nigodi Kaisi Jawani Hai also drew significant attention at the festivalIn a session titled Pardey Ke Peeche she spoke about her autobiography Choli Ke Peeche and shared personal stories and experiences from her lifes journeySeveral sessions focusing on Nepali literature and culture were also held including The global voice of Nepali poetry and Challenges of literary festivalsSpeaking at the inauguration festival director Ranjana Niraula said that literature is not limited to words and books alone rather it provides an opportunity to celebrate a shared celebration of ideas culture memory emotion and human potentialShe emphasized that the festival is not just a gathering for a literary event but a shared platform to foster intimacy and understanding among peopleThis is the core strength of literature it transcends geographical boundaries transforms linguistic differences into intimacy and builds an invisible bridge connecting human to human she saidThe momentum continued on the second day with diverse sessions ranging from cinema and literature to satire and musicAnimated discussions were held on a host of topics including Songs To Listen or to Watch Cinema Yesterday Today and Tomorrow A Discount Suggestion to Rajendra Khadgi Mantha Karnali Rising Living Civilizations Society Culture and Change and Humor and Sattire Old Laughter New JokesAdditionally Indian lyricist Raj Shekhar known for his works in acclaimed films such as Tanu Weds Manu Returns Tumbbad Veere Di Wedding and Hichki was also in conversation with Sampada Malla in a session titled Words that Sing Raj Shekhar on Poetry Cinema and the Lyricists CraftsOther notable attendees included awardwining Indian writer Pratibha Ray celebrated Indian folk singer Malini Awasthi and historians Narayani Basu and Vikram SampathThe festival also showcased performances of songs poetry and ghazals in Nepali Hindi and UrduThe event concluded with a virtual session by noted motivational speaker Acharya PrashantRashmi Ranjan Parida the founderdirector and curator of the festival asserted that the festival will bring positive energy to the promotion of South Asian literature art and culture while strengthening ties between Nepal and IndiaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever