Honouring a literary giant: State-level event for Pt Guleri in Palampur

The Department of Language, Art and Culture is set to host a state-level celebration to commemorate the birth anniversary of the eminent Himachali litterateur, Pandit Chandradhar Sharma Guleri. The event will be held on Monday at the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, Kangra.

Around 50 poets and writers from across various districts have been invited to take part in the tribute. The day will begin at 10 am with a writers’ seminar, followed by a poetry symposium in the second session. Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Director of CSIR-IHBT, will grace the occasion as the chief guest. During the seminar, Prof Prashant Ravi Raman will present a research paper titled “Pandit Chandradhar Sharma Guleri and His World of Stories”, which will be followed by a discussion with participating writers from across the state.

Reema Kashyap, Director of the Department of Language, Art and Culture, described Guleri as a towering figure in literature. “He was not only a gifted storyteller but also an accomplished essayist, poet, editor, linguist and cultural scholar. His deep knowledge of Prakrit, Buddhist philosophy and linguistics made him a truly multidimensional personality. His memoir-style essay ‘Sumirini ke Manke’ has been included in the Himachal Pradesh School Education Board curriculum,” she said.

Complementing the literary sessions, a series of parallel exhibitions will also be held to celebrate the occasion. These include a two-day book exhibition by the Himachal Academy of Arts, Culture and Language, an art and craft showcase by the Kangra Art Museum, Dharamsala, and an exhibition of historical and rare documents curated by the State Archives Department.

Himachal Tribune