PASIGHAT, 10 Oct: Contemporary Hindi poetry cannot be confined to a single ideology and must be read as poetry of resistance that challenges dominant cultural practices, said Dr Arundhati, Assistant Professor, Satyawati College, University of Delhi, at Arunachal Pradesh University (APU) on Thursday.
She was delivering a special lecture on contemporary Hindi poetry and feminist discourse organised by the Hindi department of APU, in collaboration with the Central Hindi Directorate, Ministry of Education, Government of India, under its Pradhyapak Vyakhyan Mala programme.
Tracing the evolution of contemporary poetry from the Renaissance, Dr Arundhati said poets across generations continue to shape the contemporary landscape by capturing diverse life experiences with sensitivity, even in their smallest manifestations.
A major part of the lecture focused on women's voices in contemporary poetry. Referring to poets like Katyayani and Anamika, she dwelt on questions of women's expression, identity, and position in society, and highlighted the contributions of Adivasi writers and the lived experiences reflected in their works.
"Women's liberation is not limited to women alone but is closely linked to the liberation of society as a whole," she said, adding that feminism helps build a more equal and sensitive society.
Contemporary poetry, she noted, seeks to articulate the complexities of multiple layers of reality and resist market-driven values.
Earlier, welcoming the speaker, programme coordinator Nanang Yirang, Assistant Professor (Guest Faculty), said an in-depth discussion on contemporary poetry would help MA Hindi students better understand their syllabus and explore deeper aspects of the subject through expert insights.
The lecture was followed by an interactive session where research scholars and students engaged with the speaker. Dr Arundhati encouraged the students to create platforms for creative expression and bring the experiences, cultural sensibilities and local realities of Arunachal Pradesh into Hindi poetry.
Hindi HoD Dr Ing Perme said the department would organise more such lectures to provide greater exposure to students.
The programme concluded with research scholars and postgraduate students presenting original poems and songs.
