SRINAGAR: A day long literary seminar organized by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) in collaboration with Maraz Adbi Sangam witnessed the release of two notable one Kashmiri and an Urdu books — “Panchwa Moasam”, a poetry collection by Ali Shaida, and “Zindagi Chai Kamaal”, a short story collection by Professor Roop Krishan Bhat. Both works have been published by Triple Zed Publications.
“Panchwa Moasam” comprises 59 blank verse poems, reflecting Ali Shaida’s signature poetic expression, while “Zindagi Chai Kamaal” presents 16 Kashmiri short stories by Professor Bhat, a globally acclaimed writer known for his contribution to modern Kashmiri literature. The event was presided over by Prof. Ayaz Rasool Nazki, with Hasrat Gadah as the guest of honour. Other dignitaries, including Mohammad Shafi Ayaz and the two authors, shared the presidium.
The programme began with a welcome address by Javaid Iqbal, Editor of Kashmiri. In his remarks, he expressed concern over the declining readership in contemporary literature, saying, “We write a lot of literature, but unfortunately, we have very few readers. Our languages face a serious challenge as the number of readers continues to decline.” A host of distinguished writers and literary personalities attended the function. Besides the presidential address by Prof. Ayaz Rasool Nazki, several speakers, including the authors of the released books, shared their thoughts on the evolving landscape of Kashmiri literature and the need to revive the culture of reading.