Subhash Mahajan
Dalhousie
The 33rd edition of the Ram Swaroop Anakhi Memorial Katha Goshti, an annual literary gathering organised by Punjabi literary magazine Kahani Punjab, was successfully held at the Youth Hostel in Dalhousie. The event, dedicated to the memory of renowned Punjabi writer Ram Swaroop Anakhi, has been a continuous tradition for more than three decades.
The Goshti began under the moderation of senior storyteller and Director of Punjabi Sahitya Sabha, Delhi, Kesra Ram, who introduced the participants. Professor Dr. Krantipal from the Department of Modern Indian Languages, Aligarh Muslim University, emotionally recalled the journey of the Goshti since its inception. He has carried forward the tradition after the passing of his father, Ram Swaroop Anakhi.
In the first session, senior Hindi writer and critic Dr. Abdul Bismillah, recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award, along with other writers, paid floral tributes to Anakhi. Rajkumar Mehra recited Anakhi’s story “Parchhaiyon Ka Moh.” Dr. Bismillah highlighted that Anakhi was one of the rare Punjabi storytellers whose works were widely read and translated in other Indian languages. His stories, he said, carried the pain of common people and inspired sensitivity in readers.
Across three days and three sessions, 10 storytellers representing Punjabi, Hindi, Santhali, Gujarati, Dogri, and Rajasthani languages presented their works. Among them were Kamal (Ranchi) with “Dayan”, Rameshwar Godara (Rajasthan) with “Highway Ka Kauwa aur Kesu”, Gurmeet Arif (Punjab) with “Kashmakash”, Prem Soren (Santhali) with “Diku Beda”, Jagdeep Dubey (Jammu) with “Sawal”, Ajay Soni (Kutch, Gujarat) with “Ret Mein Ghala Hua Morchang”, Sandeep Samrala (Punjab) with “Smart Work”, Kasu Nath Soren (Santhali) with “Jhoothi Pattal”, and Arun Kumar Asfal (Dehradun) with his Hindi story “Pandulipi aur… Lipi.”
Discussions featured scholars and critics including Dr. Mukesh Mirotha (Jamia Millia Islamia), Kesra Ram, Harish, Bhupinder Singh Bedi, Neelabh, Deep Jagdeep Singh (editor of Lafzan Da Pul), HH Dimple, Dr. Daya Singh, and Bharti Dutt. They analyzed how contemporary stories touch on themes like superstition, human psychology, social discrimination, valor of soldiers, corporate entrapment, widening economic gaps, and the impact of technology on literature.
Presiding over the event, Dr. Abdul Bismillah emphasized the importance of structure, language, and authenticity in storytelling. He urged writers to study world literature, internalize experiences, and develop narrative wisdom, noting that a story’s greatness lies not in its subject but in the storyteller’s depth of reflection.
Concluding the Goshti, Dr. Krantipal thanked all participants and expressed hope that the platform would continue to bring emerging storytellers from diverse languages to the fore. All participants were honored with mementos and certificates of appreciation.
