A Souvenir Dedicated to Nature and Environment

by Aju Mukhopadhyay

Aju Mukhopadhyay, the poet and author, is a bilingual writer of fiction and essays too. He has written 12 books in Bangla and 14 in English. He has received several poetry awards besides other honours. His works have been recognized by various international institutions including the Sahitya Akademi of India. Besides poetry, essays and fictions, he is a regular contributor of Haiku, Tanka and related works to various magazines and e-zines in India and elsewhere. Conservation of Nature and Environment is the watchword of his life.

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nellore-1The Souvenir was published on the occasion of the National Writers Meet-2009, at Udayagiri, Nellore of Andhra Pradesh on 8th and 9th August 2009, containing the papers read in the Meet, other essays and some poems. The Souvenir was jontly sponsored by the Indian Society of Authors,(INSA) Noida, U.P. and Penna Writers Association of Nellore District, Andhra Pradesh. This is a big sized book containing some 106 pages. This is a trilingual Souvenir with Telegu, Hindi and English sections though write ups and poems in English predominate for a larger reading public. Of the three sections my views are expressed in respect of those published in English section.

Beginning with a brief history of Nellore District, the Souvenir contains some essays on Environmental issues. From a paper titled Paryavarana Kavitodayamam (Environmental Poetry Movement) in Andhra Pradesh during 2008-09 by Dr. N.N.Murthy, we come to know of some phases of poetry movement in A. P. the latest of which is the Environmental Poetry Movement. In her purely literary paper, Environmental Consciousness of the Literary World- an Antidote to the Threat of Global Warming, K Saroja Devi has referred to Nature and Environmental Consciousness of English poets like Milton and T.S. Eliot in particular but even Wordsworth has not been mentioned. In his short essay, Environment- Man and Nature- Biplab Majhee has discussed some aspects of environment in Midnapur town, not a city, of West Bengal.

The main body of attraction of the Souvenir is the poetry in English.Twenty three Numbers of poets have contributed their environmental thoughts in poems. Some of them have contributed more poems. Mention may be made of some poets like Nalini Hebbar, (STOP TO LIVE A LITTLE,& COUP DE GRACE) Shweta Parikh,(GLOBAL WARMING) Meenu B,(THERE WAS A TIME) Madhavi Sen (THE LAST CALL) and others. Some of the poems describe Nature in love with it. I may say that the slogan, Save the Earth, has been given by the adults to all including the children. We have to educate the children that all of us have to so behave as to save the earth, not chide them, as she, Dr. B. Varalakshmi (DEAR CHILD,CHANGE YOUR SLOGANS)has done.

There is a short story too in the list: Curses by Pudhuvai Ra. Rajani. It is translated from Tamil by Sharada Nair. As a fiction writer I must say that story with some details about the lizards is good but it is not exactly environment-friendly. Here too the children are to be taught not to make fun with the lives of innocent creatures.

The Souvenir has been edited by Poet Perugu Ramakrishna,National Executive Member,INSA and Fiction Writer Potluru Subrahmanyam,Member,INSA. The cover page is nice with pictures of terracotta figure and ancient Temple sculpture of Udayagiri temple monument. Though the pages are not free from printing mistakes, the presentation and printing are generally good. It seems that an index page would help readers.

Book Details
Souvenir-2009,
Editors:Perugu.Ramakrishna & Potluru .Subrahmanyam,
Pages:106– Cost : Rs.50/-
For Copies: Perugu.ramakrishna,25-1-949,Nethaji Nagar 5th street,A.K.Nagar,Nellore-524004,Cell:9849230443

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6 Comments

  1. Dr J M Herbert

    Excellent movement going on in AP. others must start such movements for protection of Environment. Kudoos to Dr N N Murthy for his great work. I appreciate the work and movement.

    Dr J M Herbert
    Professor of Management
    Many Universities World over
    Spain

  2. Prof B K Sharma

    Paryavaran Kavitodyamam (Environment Poetry Movement) is going on in Andhra Pradesh from 2008. As per my knowledge and information it is unique movement of its kind and nature on Environment in the country. Many activities are organised apart from Harita Kavita 2008 and Harita Kata 2009. Presentations are given by the leader of this movement Prof Dr N N Murhy in many national & international seminars, conferences including Netherlands, Belgium.

    As per my opinion Dr N N Murhy is one of the internationally reputed Quality, Environment Expert. He is an academician of par excellence; can speak on varied subjects. A widely traveled scholar in Europe, Gulf, Africa and South Asia. He is also a poet in Telugu, very active during 90’s with his Telugu poems reciting all over India in many meetings.

    In Nov 2009 Wikipedia published a full length article on this Paryavaran Kavitodyamam, it is an achievement to Jagruthi Kiran Foundation and organisers of Paryavaran Kavitodyamam.

    Such movements should come in other languages to bring awareness and concern about Environment.

    I appreciate the efforts of the all concerned.

    I appreciate magazines Malle Teega & Kadhakeli for their interest on the subject.

    I also appreciate efforts of Penna Writers’ Association and Perugu Ram Krishna whom I know for some time for taking this topic and bringing a dedicated volume on the same subject.

    Prof Briz Kishore Sharma
    Former Civil Servant
    Visiting Professor
    University of Rajasthan
    Jaipur

  3. cbrao

    ప్రకృతి, పర్యావరణ పరిరక్షణ అనే అంశాలు ప్రపంచ వెచ్చదనం పెరుగుతున్న రోజులలో ప్రాముఖ్యత సంతరించుకోవలసిన అవసరం ఎంతో ఉంది. వివిధ కవులు, రచయితలు తమ రచనలలో ప్రకృతి పై పెట్టిన దృష్టి ప్రశంసనీయం. నెల్లూరు జిల్లా లోని సూళ్లూరుపేట, తడ ప్రాంతాలు ఫ్లెమింగో పక్షులకు ప్రఖ్యాతి గాంచినవి. మధ్య ఏసియా,తూర్పు యూరప్ – సైబీరియా వంటి దూర ప్రాంతాల నుంచి ఇక్కడకు ఎన్నో వలస పక్షులు వస్తుంటాయి. ప్రకృతి గురించిన ప్రత్యేక సంచిక ముఖచిత్రంపై ప్రకృతి,పక్షులకు సంబంధించిన చిత్రాలు లేకపోవటం వెలితిగా ఉంది.

  4. perugu

    పెద్దలు, విజ్ఞులు అజుముఖోపాధ్యాయ్ గారు పర్యావరణ ప్రేమికులు.
    మా సావెనీర్ ఆసక్తిగా సమీక్షించారు..ధన్యవాదాలు..ఇందులోని
    తెలుగు విభాగంలో రెండు – పర్యావరణ అంశంపై కథలు ఎం.ఆర్.అరుణ ,చిత్తూరు
    (పెద్ద కొడుకు),కే.వరలక్ష్మి ,జగ్గంపేట (ఒక స్వప్నం-ఒక మెలుకువ) మిగతా ,
    పర్యావరణం కవితలు పెరుగు.రామకృష్ణ,,మహాజేబిన్,ఎల్.ఆర్.స్వామి,ఖాదర్ షరీఫ్,
    షమ్షీర్ అహ్మద్,పాయసం.సుబ్రహ్మణ్యం,డా.విద్యాసాగర్,రామా చంద్రమౌళి రాసారు.
    హిందీ విభాగంలో పొట్లూరు.సుబ్రహ్మణ్యం అనువాద కథ,అయినవరపు.రామలింగేశ్వర
    రావు కవిత వున్నాయి..పర్యావరణ నేపథ్యంగా మా ప్రయత్నం ఫలించినట్లే..?

  5. Prof Dr N N Murthy

    This is a good review to know about the Proceedings of the Seminar held at Nellore. I gave one paper for this on the Paryavaran Kavitodyamam, but could not attend to present the same due to my visit to Nederlands for delivering lectures at Summer School on Energy & Climate during same dates.

    I heard that the seminar went well. Actually the idea on the theme of seminar came with our Environment Poetry Movement going on in AP for last several months. It is good effort by Perugu Rama Krishna and P Subramaniam towards our Jagruthi Kiran Foundation’s goal of bringing Environmental Awareness through literary forms of communication started in Andhra Pradesh in 2008.

    We have published total 6 papers/abstracts on our movement in National & International Conferences & Seminars about this movement. We have organised several activities to bring Environmental Awareness not only among elite class, but also among masses.

    If such movements starts in other languages, we will be very happy to know and this subject is the need of the hour.

    “Vidyavachaspathi” Prof Dr N N Murthy
    Poet, Scholar & Internationally Reputed Environmentalist
    Limca Record Holder 2008 (29 Degrees from 21 Universities)
    Founder Secretary
    Jagruthi Kiran Foundation (Regd.), Nagpur
    UNESCO Messenger for Culture of Peace
    Crusader of Paryavarana Kavitodyamam

  6. chavakiran

    తెలుగు సార్ తెలుగు.
    ఆంగ్ల పుస్తకాలు కూడా తెలుగులో పరిచయం చెయ్యొచ్చు.

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