TWO Poems of Manu Dash

GENERATIONS

The day I was busy
settling the bills
of the oncologist, who
treated my ailing father,
my son celebrated silently
his seventeenth birthday
with his friends.

I watched morosely
the old plant in my garden.
It needed pruning
for leaf and bud.



MASK

I get upand put on the mask
till I retire to bed.
Over the years it has been
dearer and dearer to me.

Donning it, I play different roles,
deliver different dialogues,
and throw different expressions
at different people.

I try my best to keep
every body happy and agile.
All have forgotten
that I too have a face
of my own, and,
when I exhibit it,
they fail to recognise.

POET WITH DR.INDIRA GOSWAMI


Manu Dash is a bilingual poet, fiction writer, playwright, translator and columnist. He has six books to his credit and recently edited an anthology of poems in English written by Indians entitled ‘ninety-nine words’.

PROFILE
Born on 4th July 1956 in a village by the coastal belt of Bay of Bengal in Orissa, South-East of India.Had Post graduation on literature (1981),Bachelor Degree on Law(1986) and Post-Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management (1991).Joined a literary movement called ‘Anam’(1974).
Worked in various reputed industrial houses in India as a Personnel and Administrative executive.


LITERARY CREDITS:
Written poems in various Oriya as well as in English journals with equal felicity .Two collection of poems published in Oriya: Anjuley Samundrara Dheu (Waves of a Ocean in cup of the Palm) (2002) and Kala Harina(Black Buck)(2008).
A popular literary Columnist for Oriya dailies having1.5 million readerships.Four non-fiction books have already been published so far which include: Gudulira Jeje Bapa (Grandfather of Guduli),Priya Ganaka(Dear Astrologer),and Bhiru Bharat(Timid India) and Banchibara Bata (The way to live ). (2007)
A short story collection: Kandhei Nacha (The Puppet Dance) (2000).
Edited an anthology of poems in English by Indian authors entitled: ninety-nine words (2006).
An accredited lyricist of All India Radio.

Southasian Cartoon Congress

Himal Southasian announces region-wide cartoon competition Theme: “Dramatic Divide: The distance between the powerful and the weak.”

Competition eligibility: Open to all, as long as the topic is relevant to Southasia.

Format: Single or strip; colour or black & white accepted

Closing Date for submissions: 1 September 2008

Shortlist announced: 22 September 2008

Award ceremony: Shortlisted candidates will be flown to Kathmandu during November for a Southasian Cartoon Congress, where the winning entry will be announced.
Number of entries: Maximum of three cartoon entries. While the cartoons can be original or already published, this must be clearly indicated with each entry.
Language: If there is text, any Southasian language acceptable with English translation.

Send via: e-mail to editorial@himalmag.com or

by post to:
Himal Southasian c/o Surabhi PudasainiGPO BOX 24393
Kathmandu, Nepal
Technical details: For entries submitted by e-mail
1. Size: 800 (pixels) X 1100 (Pixels) with 100 dpi resolution
2. Image format: JPEG or Bitmap
3. Colour System: RGB

For entries submitted by post:
1.
Each entry must be no larger than an A4 size sheet.

Other required information: All entrants must include a covering letter with their full name, as well as e-mail and postal addresses.
Award: USD 1000 for winner, USD 500 for first runner-up, as well as publication of winning cartoons in Himal. All short-listed candidates will receive citations.

Copyright: Himal Southasian retains exclusive right to reprint and disseminate all cartoons submitted to the competition. Copyright issues surrounding already published cartoons must be cleared by the entrant.

Nominations: Third-party submissions of entries are accepted if they are accompanied by the written consent of the cartoonist.
Jury: Eminent persons representing journalism, academia and politics from around Southasia.

Contact: please direct all queries to surabhip@himalmag.com

Please note that none of the submitted cartoons will be returned to the entrant.

www.himalmag.com

Language Monument of Bangladesh

Friends of Earth Nedunchezhiyan

Environmental Activist
from Tamilnadu, India
and
Editor Thulir(BUD)
Children's Magazine on Environmentalism.

PEOPLES SAARC 2008

What is Peoples SAARC 2008?

Peoples SAARC is an annual regional convergence of peoples organisations and movements in parallel to the annual South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit. Sri Lanka is hosting the 2008 SAARC summit in Colombo between 27 July and 03 August. For security and logistical reasons Peoples SAARC 2008 will take place on 18, 19 and 20 July in Colombo. We look forward to hosting at least 500 delegates from the region and 500 from Sri Lanka as well as mobilising over 5000 on 20 July for a mass demonstration of South Asian peoples unity and for a peoples agenda in South Asia.

Background paper of Peoples SAARC 2008

Background Paper

Who participates in Peoples SAARC?

Women, labour, peasants, urban and rural poor, cultural activists and organic intellectuals, students, youth and marginalised and excluded social groups and communities. All activists groups, social movements, progressive intelligentsia, cultural activists, writers, journalists and all those who subscribe to the ideas of the People’s SAARC must be galvanized in the name of the People’s SAARC and helped to converge in Colombo during the third week of July 2008. We pledge to abide by three principles of the platform process namely: (i) by being inclusive; (ii) by subscribing to the common minimum agenda; and (iii) by non-domination by individuals or organizations.

How can one participate?

Those interested in participating need to submit the duly filled Registration Form via fax or email to the contact details given below.

Fax - +94 11 2768860
Email - peoplesaarcsl@gmail.com