Why Literature?

It was a simple day, same sun, same roads, same traffic and same fear of getting late for the first lecture. The only unique event was a guest lecture by Ashok Vajpeyi, a poet, essayist, remarkable cultural and arts administrator and a former civil servant. He was also a Sahitya Academy Award winner. The lecture was titled ‘Sahitya Kyun?’, ‘Why Literature?’

   It was imbued with meaning as well as humour. He talked about this race where we go on and on without realizing our purpose. Days and nights and days and nights, as if we are all lost in a dream. We talk and keep blabbering about anything and everything. While encountering the silent people we wonder whether they have some problem or are secretly engaged in evil planning. A famous phrase lighted our faces ‘Bole bahaut magar kaha kya?’, ‘Spoke a lot but said what?’ He went on that we have so many varieties and brands nowadays that we remain confused. Houses have been converted to storehouses with abundant items, not values and homely feelings. Truth has shrunken and lies are expanding each day. The level of success depends on how confidently we can tell a lie and deceive others. In every election politicians just talk about materialistic development and advancement instead of solving the cultural and social problems. Each day we encounter violence against women, minorities, north-east Indians, children, etc. We see and see but seem to have lost the courage to speak up against evil and to do something. Big lies of politicians have disastrous effects. Iraq was destroyed on the pretext of having weapons of mass destruction. ‘Love Jihad’ has been coined to keep the fire bubbling in the hearts of two communities and never let them unite. Art is needed to unify mankind and remove all barriers. The process of ‘othering’ can be only nullified by thinking mankind as a whole and not fragmented pieces. We have started distinguishing people of different sex, race, class, community, nations as ‘others’ but we ought to reconsider our views. He went on saying that in today’s time we have lost the valour to stand alone. Gandhi ji walked alone and so did all great men who brought revolutions. He cracked several jokes centred on him as a common man and knew the art of an artist who can laugh at himself to ease the load of life. An hour passed in minutes. His lecture ended with Ghalib’s two bright lines

   ‘Bas ke dushwar har kaam ka aasan hona,

    Aadmi ko bhi mayassar nahi insaan hona’

Though it’s not easy to be a true human being but we can at least try to be better.   

The charm of hearing a voice of truth ended as he finished but his words kept twinkling in my mind establishing a link between all humans and the power of literature.