National Seminar on 'Bhakti Kaal and Indian Society'

'Bhakti, passion or complete devotion to work - this is what the saints and poets of the Bhakti period did, which had a wide impact on the people of the whole country, which is indelible even today. One has to understand the importance of devotion to make life successful.' Professor Ujwala Chakradev, Vice-Chancellor of SNDT Women's University, said this as the chief guest on the inauguration of a one-day national seminar organized on the topic "Bhakti Kaal and Indian Society" in Mumbai's Maniben Nanavati Women's College.

Organized under the joint aegis of Maharashtra Hindi Sahitya Akademi, SNDT Women's University, Indian Knowledge, Sanskrit and Yoga Center and Maniben Nanavati Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj Vishwavidyalaya came from Nagpur as a keynote speaker in the seminar. About 22 scholars presented their important views in two conceptual sessions. Apart from this, the reading of 28 research papers was also done in two parallel sessions.

Speaking as the chief guest in the concluding session of the seminar, Vice Chancellor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University, Prof. Keshari Lal Verma said that the literature of the Bhakti period is the identity of India and Indianness. The saints and devotional literature written in Indian languages in the last 700-800 years spread awareness in the entire society and the society it created became the strength of the country's freedom struggle.

While presiding over the inaugural session, Dr. Shitala Prasad Dubey, Executive President of Maharashtra State Hindi Sahitya Academy, said that the literature created during the Bhakti period changed the lifestyle of the society suffering from injustice, terror, and atrocities. Saints and devotee poets provided courage and strength to society through their writings.

Dr. Manoj Kumar Pandey, while presenting his views in detail, said that the literature of the Bhakti period is the literature of the common people, which is free from elitism. This is the reason why even after more than 600 years, it is giving direction to our society and is an integral part of our lives.

Principal of the college, Dr. Rajshree Trivedi, while highlighting the objectives of organizing the seminar, said that this seminar will encourage a new discussion on the literature of the Bhakti period and will develop new dimensions of research for the students. Dr. Jitendra Kumar Tiwari, Director of SNDT Women's University, Indian Knowledge, Sanskrit and Yoga Centre, said that the Indian Knowledge Center will continue to organize such events to carry forward the Indian knowledge tradition.

Pro-Chancellor of SNDT Women's University, Prof. Ruby Ojha, as a special guest, said that the literature of the Bhakti period is the philosophy of our life. Bhakti poetry occupies the top position in Indian literature.

Teachers and students from universities and colleges from places like Mumbai, Nagpur, Delhi, Ahmednagar, Miraj, Kopargaon, etc. participated in this national seminar.

Prof. Rambaksh, Dr. Ratan Kumar Pandey, Dr. Hubnath, Dr. Vandana Sharma, Dr. Dushyant, Dr. Pragya Shukla, Dr. Purushottam Kunde, Maniben Nanavati Women's College Trustee Himadri Nanavati, College Trust Secretary Dr. Yogini Shet expressed their views in various sessions. About 115 researchers, teachers, students, writers, and scholars were present in this seminar. The seminar was coordinated by Dr. Ravindra Katyayan, Chairman of the Hindi Department.