When two poets meet in place, poetry is apparently the topic to be discussed in the first place. What if 1,700 poets gathered in one place and spend a couple of days together? The answer is nothing but intense discussions on the contemporary trends in poetry and attacks on the freedom of speech and expression.
The otherwise sleepy Antarvedi village on the seashore and a few miles away from the convergence point of the Godavari and the Bay of Bengal, has turned into the destination for Telugu poets from all over the world.
The ‘World Telugu Poetry Festival’ that lasted for 30 hours 30 minutes and 30 seconds has not just created a new record in the field of poetry, but also provided a platform for poets to share their thoughts and discuss the trends. The mega event that began on Saturday morning and continued till Sunday evening has found a place in the Telugu Book of Records, Bharat Book of Records, Andhra World Record and the State Book of Records.
“Gathering of large number of poets from faraway places at one venue itself is a record. The organisers have taken the pains of providing accommodation and food for the participants for two days in a small place like Antarvedi,” says Addepalli Ramamohana Rao, renowned poet and president of Sahithi Sravanthi in Kakinada.
Along with Sahithi Sravanthi, Sahithi Mitrulu of Vijayawada, Kaikaluru and Bhimavaram, Sri Padminipura Kala Peetham, Ganapavaram, Telugu Sahithi Samakhya, Tadepalligudem, Nellore District Writers Association, Nellore, Monday Mosaic, Visakhapatnam, Kavisangamam and Jabilli from Hyderabad too joined hands to conduct the event. Interestingly, the last two are the Facebook groups created by Telugu poets, who share their poetry and criticism on the walls of these groups.
“I am very happy to meet my Facebook poet friends at the venue. Though we knew one another through the social media, meeting in person is certainly a different experience,” says Datla Devadanam Raju, poet from Yanam and member of the ‘Kavi Sangamam’ group.
The TTD guesthouse has bustled with activity, as a festive-like atmosphere prevailed for two days.
Makeshift bookstalls have been arranged at the venue, where the poets purchased the new releases and some of them even gifted the books to their new friends. .
A total of 1,700 poets gather at Antarvedi at the ‘World Telugu Poetry Festival’
