Language stands as barrier between speakers, audience

GUWAHATI, Feb 10: A section of audience at the Brahmaputra Literary Festival feels that the language barrier is robbing it of the very essence of the festival which, it feels, is heavily loaded against Assamese.

The literary festival began on Friday and is set to conclude on Sunday. The festival has three halls med one each after Deendayal Upadhay, Madhab Kandali and Tolstoy. The section feels that Assamese writers have not been properly represented in the ming of the halls as great litterateurs of the stature of Raxaraj Laxith Bezbaruah are missing. The ming of the halls, the section of audience feels, has failed to do justice to the Assamese writers. The literary festival has been able to pull over 100 writers from outside the State and abroad. All the speakers at the festival were heard to have delivered their speeches in English. A large number of students of the State colleges called at the festival did feel the problem of language in getting what the speakers wanted to bring home. A number of students had to leave the venue not being able to get what the speakers wanted to drive home.

It was also marked at the opening ceremony of the literary festival on Friday that no renowned Assamese writer was present. The few Assamese writers who spoke on the occasion on Saturday also delivered their respective speeches in English, leaving a section of the audience knitting their brows. When asked, writer Anuradha Sarma Pujari said: “It would’ve been better had renowned Assamese writers been at the festival. They should’ve been called.” A student from Jagiroad College said: “We’ve come here to learn a lot. However, we’ve to remain contended just by buying books. Had there been interpreters, we would’ve been benefitted much. Assamese culture has not been showcased before the writers from abroad. The language barrier has robbed us of the essence of the valuable speeches. Even the few Assamese writers present today spoke English.”