Senior couple –master of philosophy and voracious reader Aruna and Dr Mahendra Mehta – initiate mammoth task of rekindling love for literature
Priya Adhyaru-Majithia attended the introductory session of Coffee Mates which was held with noted poet Rajendra Shukla at Gujarati Sahitya Parishad in Ahmedabad on Sunday and shares information on the same.
The Coffeehouse Culture that began in England during the 18th century has finally arrived in city it seems. With a lofty aim to rekindling love for Gujarati literature – master of philosophy and voracious reader Aruna and Dr Mahendra Mehta – a couple involved with Coffee Mates – decade old literature club of Mumbai – has started its local chapter. Their introductory literary session with noted poet Rajendra Shukla was held at Gujarati Sahitya Parishad on Sunday evening.
Coffee and elaborate literary conversations have a historical connect. Reinforcing the same connection, a team of ten Gujarati literature lovers started a small club Coffee Mates in Mumbai in 2000. The club has hosted more than 150 conversational sessions at M K High School in borivali inviting noted poets and authors of Gujarati language. “The aim is to rekindle the interest of young and new readers in literature,” said Aruna Mehta.
The duo who has been working tirelessly to instil love for literature since last decade in Mumbai has recently shifted to Ahmedabad and has opened its local chapter in association with Gujarati Sahitya Parishad. The first introductory session of the local chapter started on Sunday with poet Rajendra Shukla’s poetry reading session.
Shukla recited his most popular poems including Jhalhal Padav, series of poems written with phrase Jat Lakhavanu Kahe at the one and a half hour session. Nayana Jani, poet and wife of Shukla gave an introductory talk on Shukla to offer insight into the work of the poet at the event.
The next session of Coffee Mates is scheduled on March 3 with Gujarati novelist Bindu Bhatt who is speak on women empowerment to celebrate the International Women’s Day falling on March 8. The third session of Coffee Mates in city will be on April 7 with noted writer Chinu Modi.
At the previous sessions at Mumbai, Coffee Mates had roped in renowned writers of vernacular literature including lt Suresh Dalal, lt Chandrakant Baxi, Varsha Adalaja, Himashu Shelat, Tarak Mehta, Vinod Joshi, and Chinu Modi to converse with the literature lovers.
Aruna Mehta said, “The first session was received well. It was heartening to see many young listeners at the session. To rekindle diminishing interest in vernacular literature, we plan to rope in noted writers and poets of Gujarati literature and hold a conversational sessions with them at Parishad Hall on first Sundays of every month during 5 to 7 in the evening.”
The first session was attended by more than 100 literature lovers. Dignitaries including noted writer Chinu Modi, lawyer and musician Amar Bhatt, Harshad Trivedi of Gujarati Sahitya Academy, actor Upendra Trivedi, poet Kanu Jani, dramatist Manoj Shah, dramatist Naushil Mehta, writer Prabodh Parikh, and writer Chandrakant Topiwala were present at the session.
