Parnassus in the hills: North-East writers to Converse at Rachna

Friends at Rachna will be organizing the 6^th chapter of its ‘Converse’, a ‘Word of Mouth’ event, on April 20^th at its bookstore cum coffee house in the capital. The event will cover the Northeast writings in English with readings by senior poets and writers from Sikkim and the rest of the North East states. The event will also facilitate book signings including the possibility of a casual and friendly meeting with the eminent authors.
The event is mainly organized to initiate connections with the North East English writings. Every year, the great writers and poets meet and have a good time together, reading each other’s works. The event also plays an important role in highlighting new poets and writers to a larger audience.

             This year`s event will feature the eminent Padmashree writer and poet, Mamang Dai of Arunachal Pradesh for whom this will be the third time she will be participating in the event. Dhruba Hazarika, another Penguin published writer from North East India and Robin Ngangom, a renowned poet and Professor of English Department, NEHU, Shillong will also occupy the guest list. Others include former member of Great Society and Minister of State, Meghalaya,  RG Lyngdoh,  Sonam Tshering from Darjeeling, Mitra Phukan, Nabonita Kanungo, Cherrie Chhangte, Sanga Ralte and Ravi Ksh. From our neck of the woods, Yeshey D, Rajendra Bhandari, Guru T Ladhaki, Chetan Shreshtha and Pankag Thapa will be representing the state.

The first Converse event took place in 1999 and after a slack ten year period, it picked up with rejuvenation again in 2009 at Rachna. Since then, Rachna has been continuously organizing it annually and the event is getting popular every year and attracting great writers and poets to the capital.