The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : No patrons for children’s literature in Oriya

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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No patrons for children’s literature in Oriya

Teachers, parents told to impart reading habits in children
Series of workshops to be hosted across the State

BHUBANESWAR: Writers, editors and publishers of children’s literature in Oriya have expressed their deep concern over an alarming indifferent attitude of the parents and government towards children’s literature.

This was revealed during the three-day State-level workshop for editors of children’s magazine that concluded here on Sunday.

The event was being hosted by the Oriya Sishu Sahitya Gabesana Parishad, a 29-year-old prominent literary organisation of the State, in association with the city-based Ekamra Sishu Sahitya Samsad on the Government Boys’ High School premises in Unit IX.

“We have been hosting a series of workshops across the State to rejuvenate the marginalised genre of children’s literature,” explained Parishad Founder and workshop Director Manindra Mohanty, a revered name in the arena of children’s literature in Oriya.

Nearly 100 delegates from different districts of Orissa comprising editors, children, parents and school teachers, children’s programme designers of All India Radio and Doordarsan and researchers on children’s literature participated in the workshop, he informed.

The workshop revealed that of some 40 children’s magazines in Oriya including the State-owned Sishulekha published from the State from time to time, only five publications are continuing with much difficulty.

“Circulation of children’s magazines in Oriya was largely dependant on the school teachers as their guidance for the students and their parents play a pivotal role.

Fixation for English

Unfortunately, the teachers took the responsibility of promoting reading habit of children’s magazines as a burden on them,” observed Mohanty.

In their rising obsession towards English education, parents are further dissuading the children from reading Oriya publications, he added.

The delegates were unanimous in their views that the State Government has been evading its responsibility towards promotion of children’s literature.

Kerala has set up a State Academy exclusively for children’s literature while there is no incentive for children’s writing, they lamented.

During the workshop, the delegates visited different bookshops and publication houses in the capital city to familiarise themselves with the trends of children’s books and magazines in different languages.

They further interacted with 10 families who were invited to the event to share their views about children’s writings in Oriya.

Among others, noted children’s writers Jagannath Mohanty, Das Benhur, Ekamra Sahitya Samsad president Sarat Kumar Biswal, Oriya Gabeshana Parishad president Krushna Chandra Behera, well-known anchor of children’s programmes on AIR Nadiya Behari Mohanty and Bhubaneswar Doordarshan Kendra’s programme executive Kalpana Parida attended the work shop as resource per sons.

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