It’s a borderless world, veins and arteries connected to one heart, one soul; scholars at the Saarc Folklore Festival seminars bring down the walls & spearhead a cellular movement

Nepal's struggling with a change in power. Bangladesh is coming to terms with hunger and poverty while Pakistan is still grappling with the Taliban attack. If Raza Rumi finds the Vande Mataram fatwa ‘nonsense’, then Prof Abhi N Subedi is not kicked by Monisha Koirala joining Nepal’s political wing. On the other hand, writers Selina Hossain, Rakshanda Jalil and Sayman Zakaria are trying to bring in change with the power of the written word. It’s a confluence of culture, of tradition, thought and action at the Saarc Folklore Festival seminars being held at CRRID, Sector 19. And in all the dialogue and discussion by scholars, researchers, writers and folklorists, there is one thing that sticks out - we are residents of a borderless world, and sometimes change has to come from within us.

“It’s a cellular movement, something which carries on without the support of government. It’s people like Ajeet Cour and many others in their respective countries who do their work with singular focus for a better future,” Nepal’s Prof Abhi N Subedi points out. Writer, folklore research scholar, columnist, playwright, theatre director, literary scholar and expert in folklore documentation, Prof Subedi marvels at missions like Ajeet’s, something he feels is missing in world today. “We came under the monarchy, and achieving something in those times was a tremendous feat. There was passion, fearlessness and will to change, which is sadly missing today,” he talks about the tumultuous times Nepal’s been through and how it’s now struggling with politicians squabbling for power. “What is needed is a national consciousness, more involvement of the media, the arts and society,” feels the folklorist busy documenting the expressions and stories of people over ages, in villages and cities.

... contd.