A symposium and literary award ceremony, jointly held by Bahumat and Shri Chaturbhuj Memorial Foundation, with the support of Department of Culture, Government of Chhattisgarh was held at Bhilai Niwas with focus on folk culture. Dr Sanjay Alang, a renowned poet, writer, and historian, graced the occasion as the Chief guest. Addressing the gathering, Dr Alang emphasised the deep-rooted nature of folk culture in Indian society. While the expressions of this culture may vary across different states, they collectively represent the glorious traditions of Indian life. He further highlighted the diverse and multifaceted nature of Chhattisgarh’s folk culture, asserting that it serves as a unifying force in the lives of its people.

 

During the symposium, eminent personalities like Dumman Lal Dhruv, Dr Sunita Verma, Govind Patel, and Vijay Mishra Amit presented insightful lectures on topics such as tribal folk life, painting and folk life, ponds and folk life, and folk theater of Chhattisgarh, respectively. Padmashri Ajay Mandavi was also present at the event. The two-session event witnessed the presence of journalist-editor E V Murli, Dr Arun Kumar Shrivastava, founder of Shri Chaturbhuj Memorial Foundation, Mumtaz, president of Bahumat, and Seema Shrivastava, Vice-President of the foundation, among others. In the second session, 12 writers were honoured with Shri Chaturbhuj Memorial Literary Award. Storyteller Lokbabu was awarded for his renowned novel ‘Bastar Bastar,’ Durga Prasad Parker for his Chhattisgarhi novel ‘Kevat Kundra,’ Devendra Goswami for his poetry collection ‘Main Aur Shabd,’ and Dumman Lal Dhruv for his published book ‘Chhattisgarh ke Lok Abhusharan.’ Other awardees included Rajendra Sonboir, Mayank Chaturvedi, Mohammad Zakir Hussain, Shweta Upadhyay, Dr Raunak Jamal, Kamlesh Chandrakhar, Dr. Sanjay Dani, and Vijay Mishra Amit. Addressing the gathering, editor E V Murli commended the initiative of honouring writers and their works. Dr Arun Kumar Shrivastava, the founding president of the Shri Chaturbhuj Memorial Foundation, expressed his belief that this award would motivate other writers. Mumtaz, president of Bahumat, emphasised the significance of recognising literary contributions. The event was coordinated by Jasbir Kaur, secretary of the foundation, and jointly conducted by Shweta Upadhyay and Suman Kannauje. Writers, journalists, intellectuals, and cultural activists were present.