The Department of English, Shillong College, Shillong in collaboration with the North East Writer’s Forum organized an inter-college poetry writing competition and poetry reading called ‘Cross Winds’ to celebrate 50 years of Statehood of Meghalaya yesterday.
‘Cross Winds’, is an amalgamation of two unassuming words to produce a strong current of interweaving flow of ideas, thoughts, feelings and emotions, the organisers said.
“As the State celebrates its 50 years, we are hypothetically looking at this number as a midway point, almost as if we are at an intersection. However, the cross, which symbolically signifies suffering and shame, can also signify dilemma. This dilemma is most strongly felt by the youth as they head on a collision course with an uncertain future. Unemployment, substance abuse, and the pandemic fallout are some of the main causes of fear and anxiety. This fear is fuelled by the winds of change, which have turned the world into a constant state of flux, and thus adding to the uncertainty of an already clouded vision of the future,” the organisers said. It is with this concept that the department organized the competition to give the youth a canvas where they can paint their visions and dreams, they added.
Head of the department, Prof. J Prodhani lauded the efforts of the college and stated that such creative competitions in Shillong will lead to the development of North East writing in English.
He stated that it was the strong voices of the Shillong poets like Kynpham S. Nongkynrih, Robin Ngangom, Desmond Kharmawphlang and others that helped establish North East poetry as a separate genre under the broad realm of Indian writing.
Prodhani appreciated young poet’s bilingualism and encouraged translation of vernacular literature to provide it with wide readership.
Young poets like Donboklang Ryntathiang, Saweni Laloo and Dr. Preetinichia Barman took part in the programme.
The winners of the competition were adjudged by eminent poets of the North East Writer’s Forum. They are Marbamonlang Rani of St. Anthony’s College, Menangtei Kupar Thangkhiew of NIT, Shillong and Maisnam Finjita of St. Anthony’s college.
