"Kashmiri Language and Literature"
Mr. Lalit Koul
Poet and Activist

When: Saturday, February 9, 2008, 3:00 PM
Where: Hall A, Harvard Univ. Science Center, 1 Oxford St., Cambridge

Abstract:

The beautiful valley of Kashmir in northern India has been literally  considered as the "Paradise on Earth" for its lush ever-green natural  scenery, the clear
water lakes and the mountain atmosphere surrounded  by the snow-clad peaks.  The Kashmiri language has its origin with the Vedic roots.  Formal literature in the language can be traced to about  1200 AD with periodic developments until the modern day. Scholars like  Kalhan, Lal Ded, Arni Maal and Habba Khatoon have enriched the Kashmiri  literature. Written in Sharada, Perso-Arabic and Devanagari alphabets,  the language reflects the movement of people in the valley.  We will  review the evolution of the language and the literature with presentations of select passages from the literature and a snippet of the modern day conversation in the language.

Speaker Bio:

Lalit Koul is a poet and activist from the Kashmir valley.  He is a  physicist and works as a Management Consultant in Boston area.  He is deeply involved
with the plight of Kashmiri people affected by the  violence inflicted on them through terrorism and religious strife.

Contact telephones: 617-864-5121, 617-495-3295
URL:http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~sanskrit/outreach.html

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