Holi, Kavi Sammelans and Kolkata

March 27, 2013: Today is Holi. This is year the Holi of northern India and the Holi of Bengal i.e., dol are being celebrated on the same day. I am always surprised by the fact how come the same festival is celebrated on different days. As per Hindu mythology, every festival has one story and reason to celebrate. For example, various sects of the Jain community like the Swetambar, Digambar, 22Tolla, Murti Pujak and so on, celebrate Samatswari on different dates of the year. Also Raksha Bandhan is celebrated in few communities on different days. On the 25th evening in went to the Birla Sabhaghar to attend the Sanskriti Sagar’s Kavi Sammelan after hosting the poets for lunch at home. The star of the evening was Surendra Sharma who was also very kind to recite his poetry on Krishna on my personal request. Yesterday evening I went to Kalamandir to a kavi sammelan where another group of poets were there. The program was organised by the Hindustan Club. The hall was more than full. Askaran Atal was the only poet who was also at the Birla Sabhaghar on the 25th evening. I would be be going to the Birla Sabhaghar again today evening where the same poets would recite. The program is organised by Arohi. Very few people know that the tradition of Hasya Kavi Sammelan on Holi started in Kolkata and few of the kavis (poets) like Hari Om Panwar and Surendra Sharma have been coming to Kolkata regularly during Holi for the past 35 years. It is estimated that there are about 200, big and small, kavi sammelans that take place in Kolkata during Holi.

Tomorrow I’ll be in Bangalore.
ess bee