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| Chief Guest Sri Gulzar lighting the lamps at the Saraswati Samman Function, National Museum Auditorium, 22/01/2019 |
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| Sri Sitanshu Yashaschandra, recipient of the Saraswati Samman lighting lamp |
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| Distinguished guests on dias during Saraswati Samman Function |
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| Saraswati Samman Function at National Museum Auditorium, 22/01/2019 |
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| Saraswati Samman Function at National Museum Auditorium, 22/01/2019 |
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| Saraswati Samman Function at National Museum Auditorium, 22/01/2019 |
Attending literary functions these days is fraught with risks. Nevertheless I decided to attend the 27th Saraswati Samman Award today at the National Museum Auditorium to listen to the award recipient Sri Sitanshu Yashaschandra- the noted Gujarati scholar, who was bestowed the award by renowned author and film director Sri Gulzar.
Stressing upon the
importance of literature in shaping the society and the power that be, Sri
Yashaschandra drew parallels from Gujarat’s political history and the role
of Gujarati literature in shaping it. He came up with three historical events.
Acknowledging the literary genius of noted Jaina
scholar Hemachandra, the then Gujarat king Jayasimha Siddharaja was so pleased
that he ordered Hemachandra’s work namely Siddha-Hema-Śabdanuśāśana and Dvyashraya
Kavya- a treatise on grammar, to be
placed on the back of an elephant and paraded through the streets of Anhilwad
Patan.
The second instance Sri Yashaschandra cited was of the Pratihara king
who was rebuked by his sister in failing to accord adequate respect to the
noted literatueur of his kingdom- the king himself being a renowned scholar.
He cited the case of “Hind Swaraj” written by Mahatma Gandhi, on
his voyage from India to South Africa in 1909 as the third instance. The whole consignment of this book
was confiscated and destroyed on its arrival at the Bombay Port by an alien
despot.
The address by this noted Gujarati literati reminded me of the words of Mahatma Gandhi
that ‘Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment
and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more
effective and permanent then the one derived from fear of punishment’. Literature
helps to keep fear at bay as ‘pen is always
mightier than sword’.
All said and done, the function started only after Sri Amar Singh the
noted Samajwadi leader arrived at the venue keeping everyone, even Sri
Yashaschandra the award recipient and the Chief Guest Sri Gulzar, waiting who
had all arrived well in time. So do you still think pen is mightier than the
sword?- I leave this for you to decide in present times!
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