IJALC ORGANIZES INDO-JAPAN
CONFERENCE ON TRANSCENDING
CULTURAL AESTHETICISM
Exploring Literary Exchanges between India and Japan in Poetic Forms and Content
By: Dr. Unita Sachidanand, New Delhi
Examining literary contacts and exchanges between India and Japan, especially in the context of poetic forms and content, would go a long way in strengthening cultural ties that also fits in well with the theme of rediscovering cultural relations between India and Japan as we go along celebrating India-Japan Friendship Year 2007-08 in our two countries. “Japan Year in India” and “India Year in Japan” were celebrated with the objective of rediscovering strong historic and cultural bonds and promoting people-to-people contacts between India and Japan.
Mr. S. Shimamori delivering his inaugural speech while Professor Varyam Singh, Dean. School of Language,
Culture & Literature Studies, JNU, looks on
With these objectives in mind, the Indo-Japan Association for Literature & Culture (IJALC, a registered non-profit literary and cultural organization), in collaboration with Takushoku University; Japan, JNU and DU, organized two conferences on Transcending Cultural Aestheticism: Exploring Literary Exchanges between India and Japan in Poetic Forms and Content. Part I was held in New Delhi during 26-28 October 2007 while Part II was held in Tokyo during 23-25 November 2007. These events received financial and academic support from Japan Foundation, Embassy of Japan, Maruti Udyog Limited, International Society for Takuboku Studies, Tokyo, and Akogare no Kai (India Chapter of International Society of Takuboku Studies), New Delhi, Sahitya Akademi, Indian Council of Cultural Relations, and JCCII.
a) Research Papers: Part I (New Delhi Chapter) was held at SSS, JNU. This three-day academic and cultural engagement with Indian and Japanese poetry was marked by intensive discussions on 40 research papers besides two keynote addresses, distributed over 8 technical sessions. A special session on poetry recitation was convened on the third day followed by the first-ever Indo-Japan Poetry Concert. The conference was attended by over 120 participants drawn from various parts of Japan and India. The participants had the privilege of having over 30 poets among them. The participating scholars came from a large number of Japanese and Indian universities, namely, Iwate University, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Takushoku University, Osaka University for Foreign Studies, Kobe Women University, Nara Women University, University of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Banaras Hindu University, Vishwa Bharati and Indira Gandhi National Open University, Todaiji Temple, besides freelance poets. Professor Varyam Singh, Dean, School of Language, Literature & Culture, and Sri Arjun Asrani, former Ambassador of India to Japan, presided over the inaugural and keynote sessions respectively.
Mr. Shigeyuki Shimamori, Counsellor, Embassy of Japan, in his inaugural speech said that this event is unique as one part of it is being organized in India and the second part of the conference will be held in Tokyo, which symbolizes the spirit and purpose of real and genuine cultural exchange. He further added that when two nations begin to interact culturally through the mediums of poetry then it is likely to have a positive impact on the process and objectives of global peace. Mr.Nao Endo, Director Japan Foundation, emphasized the need to promote Japanese literature research programme and said that the Japan Foundation would always extend its support for such initiatives. The inaugural session saw poetry-based performances by the students of Japanese School. They recited the poetry of Maithili Sharan Gupt ‘Maa kah ek kahanii’( Mother please tell me a story) in Hindi. The students of Department of East Asian Studies performed the poetry of Kaneko Isuzu’s ‘Konomichi’ (This Way) directed by Ms. Asakuno Izumi, a guest lecturer at the University of Delhi. The keynote addresses from India and Japan were delivered by Sri Ashok Vajpeyi, a renowned Indian poet and literary critic, and Professor Hiraoka Shoshu, Todaiji Temple, Nara.
