A literary delight: Vikram Seth mesmerises audience at Cotton University

Guwahati, Nov 30: The KBR Auditorium of Cotton University was abuzz with excitement on Friday afternoon as fans, students, and literary enthusiasts gathered to engage with Vikram Seth, a celebrated author. Organised by the Delphic Council of Northeast India and the Department of English, the event featured captivating discussions ranging from Seth's magnum opus, A Suitable Boy, to his recent translation of the Hanuman Chalisa.

Seth, known for his eloquence and literary brilliance, reflected on his journey as a writer, his influences, and his recent travels across Northeast India.

Seth, who is currently on a tour of the region, shared anecdotes from his eight-week journey, which initially began as a two-week trip to Arunachal Pradesh. "This time, I was kidnapped by two entities," he quipped. "One was a friend, a military historian, who persuaded me to explore Arunachal, and the other was my red Jimmy car, which took me further to Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Manipur." Despite advisories against visiting Manipur, Seth said he travelled to Churachandpur, Moreh, and Imphal and also made a stop at Kaziranga National Park in Assam. "I'm collecting memories and experiencing the region," he added.

When asked, Seth didn't rule out the possibility of writing about his experiences in the Northeast, stating, "First I will have to go back to Noida and then get back to writing novels... Why not? If something comes up, it will be emotions recollected in tranquillity."

During the event, Seth spoke about his translation of the Hanuman Chalisa, released in June this year. The translation, originally completed a decade ago, was delayed because he felt it could not compare to Tulsidas's original work. "It was my 99-year-old aunt who urged me to share it.

By-

Staff Reporter