Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Jan 11: In the times when fast changing paradigms of political developments in the State seem to hog the limelight, the release of ‘Kass Gumma’, a collection of Hindi poems by Dr Ashok Kumar, at the K L Saigal Hall, here today, came out to be a significant event in the cotemporary literary scene of winter capital.
Organized by Yuva Hindi Lekhak Sangh, today’s function, jointly presided by Prof Neealm Saraf, Dean Academic Affairs, University of Jammu (JU)and Dr Nirmal Vinod, started with Dr Parvinder Kaur welcoming the guests. It was followed by reading of Vinod Shahi and Rajni Bala’s scholarly papers by Anju Thapa and Amita on ‘Kass Gumma’ the title of which is name of the village where in 1947, thousands of Mirpuri were massacred by Qabaili tribals.
In the opinion of Hindi critics, Dr Ashok Gupta’s poems instead of the ‘individual’, focus upon ‘human’ predicaments that too under the burden of blind narrative of history: The poet through symbols and images which ostensibly invoking facets of contemporary life rise towards a universal connotation.
Weel known artiste Raj Kumar Bahurupia’s impressive reading of some selected poems from Kass Gumma, followed by Dr Ashok reciting his favorite poems from the collection, left an indelible mark on the audience that comprised of Jammu’s well known men and women of letters in different languages.
Dr Ashok Kumar, a Hindi critic and scholar and faculty member in Department of Hindi (JU), who is working continuously to showcase the local talented Hindi poets at national scene, has already written and edited written works like ‘Jammu Ki Hindi Kavita’, ‘Saath Chalne Ka Sangeet’ Tawi Jahan Se Gujarti Hai.
In their presidential remarks, Dr Nirmal Vinod and Prof Neelam Saraf, welcomed the laudable literary work that reflects the unique sensitivity as well as maturity of Dr Ashok Kumar as one of the leading contemporary Hindi poet.
Those present on the occasion included Dr Rattan Lal Shant, M K Santoshi, Dr Baljit Raina, Arvinder Aman, additional secretary J&K Cultural Academy, Santosh Sangra, Sheikh Mohammad Kalyan, Pawan Khajuria, Prof Raj Kumar, and childhood friends of Dr Ashok Gupta; Kamal Gupta, Aryaveer Gupta, Satish Verma and Sudesh Gupta-to whom the book is dedicated.
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