Indian Embassy and B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation organized the 10th edition of Poemandu, a B.P. Koirala India Nepal Foundation initiative at Nepal Bharat Library in New Road.Cel

According to a press release, the 10th edition of Poemandu commemorated Vidyapati Jayanti. Vidyapati, who is also known as Maithil Kavi Kokil was an eminent Maithili poet and a Sanskrit writer. Also regarded as the Mahakabi of the Maithili poetry, Vidyapati’s poetry is widely influential in Hindi as well as Bengali and other Eastern literary traditions. The romantic songs Vidyapati penned highlight the intriguing relationship between Radha and Krishna, popular in eastern India and also include much celebrated poetry such as Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda of the 12th century. The songs he wrote as prayers to Lord Shiva still echoes in Mithila and form a rich tradition of folk songs.

At the programme, eminent scholars and authors Dr. Ram Dayal Rakesh and Dr. Ganga Prasad Akela shared invaluable contribution made by Vidyapati in Maithili literature, highlighting how the literature promoted and produced by Vidyapata remains one of the finest volumes in Maithili even today.

Prominent poets of Maithili such as Vineet Kumar, Kali Kant Jhan “Trishit”, Shyam Shekhar Jha, Armendra Yadav, Uday Chandra Das, Rupa Jha, Vijeeta Choudhary and Kamal Mandal recited their poems in Maithili to commemorate the Vidyapati Jayapnti and paid their tributes to the great poet.

Poemandu is one of the popular events organized by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu and B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation every month at Nepal Bharat Library. This is in addition to its other popular monthly events such as Cinemandu, Conversations and Voices.