Born in 1971, Chirag Bangdel is a writer, painter and a poet. He is the author of "But to Dream" (published 1997) and "After Midnight" (published 2000). Chirag has contributed for a wide variety of magazines, papers and journals. He loves writing humor, healthy sarcasm and critical essays.
With support of the Prince Claus Fund he was able to travel to Colombia for the XVII Poetry Festival de Medellin.At the festival in Medellin this year 80 poets from 52 countries including names such as Breyten Breytnbach, Wole Soyinka and Gerrit Komrij, declamated their work. Read more about the festival at www.festivaldepoesiademedellin.org
You can read about the experiences of Chirag Bangdel below and by downloading the detailed day to day report.
While I was packing my bags to leave for Medellin I had many thoughts. I was excited about the trip. I live for poetry and the arts and it was wonderful to represent my country. I had heard wonderful things about Colombia. But I was also a little petrified. Would I get a culture shock? Would I be welcome there? Should I need to worry about the violence in the country?
But things totally changed once I landed in Colombia. Despite the language barrier (most people just speak Spanish) I realized that the people are very friendly. I come from a country where we believe in “athiti devo bhava”- which would mean “our guests are our Gods”. So their hospitality reminded me so much of home.
Medellin is a beautiful city with great climate through out the year. And the people take poetry very seriously. Readings would be held in arenas, halls and libraries and they would be jam-packed with audience. Thousands of people attended the opening and closing of the festival. In the closing ceremony despite the torrential rain, people stayed in the open arena applauding at every poem and poet.
The audience comprised of all ages- right from very small children to senior citizens. It was also wonderful to see the youngsters who made up of more than half the of the audience at every reading
It was obvious that the organizers had a difficult job of getting all the poets to the country, taking care of them, taking care of the venues, taking the poets to the venues and bringing them back to the hotel and making sure that everything went well. And everything did go very well. The Poetry Festival of Medellin was one of the best experiences of my life. It was also wonderful to see a big number of young people who made the organizing team of the festival, very active, very efficient and working day and night.
So how important is The International Poetry Festival of Medellin? Does it help stop the war? Will it help bring peace? How important is the festival to the people of the city and the country? How important is it to the poets?
After my experience in the festival, I realize that the organizers of the festival are now obligated to host the festival every year – not just to themselves and the people of Medellin but to poetry itself. One of the sponsors in her speech mentioned to the thousands attending the opening ceremony that the Poetry Festival of Medellin is the biggest in the world. Surely it is. Never had I seen poetry being celebrated so much.
I found out that the people of Medellin look forward to the annual event very eagerly and now have developed a great taste for poetry and the arts.
The organizers of the festival are obligated to have the festival every year because they have set a fine example for the whole world to see on the beauty and power of poetry. They can not and should not let themselves down.
Can poetry help stop the war? When thousands gather together listening to poetry and sharing beauty and joy, isn’t that helping stop the war? I consider poetry to be the best amalgamation of thoughts, feelings, sentiments and literature. So via poetry people feel, people celebrate, people express and people get inspired. A war is difficult to stop but it is so wonderful to see the people of Medellin lose themselves in the joy of poetry, forgetting all pains during the festival. And then they look forward to another one for a whole year .Among other things poetry is also a healer for them.
As for the poets, we couldn’t ask for anything more. Poets from all over the world living together and sharing culture and poetry was a great experience. Like me I know all of the poets must have left Medellin inspired by the festival, the city of Medellin, the people of Medellin and the power of the their own poetry.
After my poetry reading at Plaza de la Luz on 19th of July, two young girls around fifteen years of age came to me and gave me a letter that read:
“Chirag,
Thank you so much for coming to Medellin. It was really great to have you here. I can see that you have a huge heart, the heart of an artist. Thanks again for sharing it with us. I hope you liked Medellin. Please don’t forget to tell the world that in Colombia there is much more than war and poverty. We have hope and we believe that POETRY can change the world.
Gracias
Marcela and Laura.””
After I read the letter I felt that the objective of The International Poetry Festival of Medellin has been achieved.
Being a part of the XVII International Poetry Festival was a beautiful experience for me and I would like to express my gratitude to Prince Claus Fund for sponsoring my airfare to Colombia.
Chirag Bangdel,
Kathmandu, 2007
Nepal.
Chirag Bangdel at the XVII Poetry Festival Medellin
Chirag Bangdel at the Poetry Festival in Medellin
a day to day report on the experiences of Chirag in Medellin
"
Chirag,
Thank you so much for coming to Medellin. It was really great to have you here. I can see that you have a huge heart, the heart of an artist. Thanks again for sharing it with us. I hope you liked Medellin. Please don’t forget to tell the world that in Colombia there is much more than war and poverty. We have hope and we believe that POETRY can change the world.
Gracias
Marcela and Laura.””
The travel budget stimulates international travel for artists and intellectuals by granting modest amounts to cover travel costs. Many professionals from various disciplines have been enabled to promote their work, carry out research and exchange experiences throughout the world.
Visits to conferences, exhibitions and other cultural activities open the way for new projects and ideas. This program represents an important contribution to the scouting function of the Prince Claus Fund.
