Venkat Raman
Auckland, March 9, 2023
Seven young poets of Indian origin, all of them residents of Auckland, have just launched their videos glorying the languages of India.
Shriya Bhagwat, a Communication Specialist with credentials in Journalism and Advertising has stepped up as a Marathi bard with her group of young men and women, ‘shining a spotlight on the thriving local Indian literary tradition.’
“The Video Project has been launched by a passionate group of creatives and it is heartening that the seven videos, released on Facebook and Instagram have so far recorded more than 15,000 views and the number is increasing,” Shriya said.
Called, Srujan (meaning Creation in Hindi and Marathi), the Project is her brainchild, giving vent to her penchant for literature including poetry in Hindi and her mother tongue Marathi.
Shriya works at the Albert-Eden Local Board and evinces a keen interest in encouraging people to realise and rediscover their linguistic, cultural and social heritage.
As a person of letters on various subjects, she earned a place among Resident Writers at the Michael King Writers Centre Trust last Winter (Please read that story here).
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO7Tdacn0yAeD_j0aFJSXdw
Passion for Hindi, Marathi
“Srujan reveals people’s passion for Hindi and Marathi, two prominent Indian languages in Auckland and other New Zealand cities. According to an estimate, Hindi is spoken by about 572 million all over the world, while Marathi accounts for 90 million. We have writers, poets, theatre actors, musicians, producers, directors and performers in the Indian Diaspora but most of their works have been supported and promoted within the community. Their efforts are not properly recognised, and they are grossly underfunded,” Shriya said.
New Zealand closed its borders with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic on March 19, 2020. All gatherings were cancelled, and people were forced to stay at home.
Shriya said that the lockdown had a few positive effects.
“Through the many months of isolation, many of us turned to writing, listening and watching stories in our native languages and the languages with which we were raised and learnt to articulate difficult feelings. Many have experienced loss and grief. Covid taught us to cope with the harsh realities of life,” she said.
Channels for love, hope
According to Shriya, poetry and poems are about friendship, love and hope.
“It is an individual, personal experience for many, but it also connects us to the universal experience as human beings. It is worthwhile to reflect on this collective experience,” she said.
Amrita Bhende, a singer in the group, said that there was excitement when the application filed by Shriya for funding was approved.
“Community response was encouraging, and the Project accounted for 15 local creatives. Each poem has its own background score composed by Ben Fernandez. Gaurav Sawant helmed the project as the Director. With his vast experience in theatre and performing arts in India, he brought a wealth of knowledge and editorial mentoring to the team,” she said.
Gaurav said that Srujan could be the beginning of wider recognition of human expression.
“This is a unique project because Auckland has poets and writers adept in Indian languages, but they seldom get an opportunity to be seen. This project shows that they are talented and passionate. I hope that we are able to celebrate this collective experience with everyone globally from right here in Auckland,” he said.
