05/11/2021
Poetry and Discourse on Free Tibet Dream: Srijanabritta to present Tibetan Rebel Poet Tenzin Tsundue
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Siliguri-based literary-art-cultural group ‘Srijanabritta’ is going to host Tibetan rebel poet Tenzin Tsundue on Sunday in the event called ‘Poetry and Discourse on Free Tibet Dream’.
Firebrand poet Tsundue is supposed to recite his bold revolutionary poetry. He will also present his thoughts over the Chinese aggression over Tibet, the suppressed dreams of lakhs of Tibetan peoples who were forced to flee to Indian soil years ago. He will also focus on the tragedy of Tibetan youths who were born on foreign soil.
Tsundue is a restless young Tibetan who, after graduating from Madras, South India, braved snowstorms and treacherous mountains, broke all rules and restrictions, crossed the Himalayas on foot and went into forbidden Tibet! The purpose? To see the situation of his occupied country and lend a hand to the freedom struggle. Arrested by China’s border police, and locked up in prison in Lhasa for three months, he was later ‘pushed back’ to India.
Born to a Tibetan refugee family who laboured on India’s border roads around Manali, North India, during the chaotic era of Tibetan refugee resettlement in the early seventies, Tenzin Tsundue is a writer-activist, a rare blend in the Tibetan community in exile. He published his first book of poems, Crossing the Border, in 1999 with money begged and borrowed from his classmates at Bombay University. In 2001 he won the ‘Outlook-Picador Award for Non-Fiction’. His second book, Kora, is already in its eighth edition, and his third title, Semshook, is in its third edition. This the third edition Tsen-GÖl, first published in March 2012.
Tsundue joined Friends of Tibet (India) in 1999 and campaigns among Indians to win support for Tibet. In January 2002, while Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji was addressing Indian business tycoons in Mumbai’s Oberoi Towers, Tsundue scaled scaffolding to the 14th floor to unfurl a Tibetan national flag and a Free Tibet banner. In April 2005 he repeated a similar stunning one-man protest when Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao was visiting Bangalore. Because of these daring protest actions, Tsundue is often detained and is under police surveillance whenever Chinese leaders visit India.
Tenzin Tsundue’s writings have been published in Indian newspapers and magazines and also in the international media. He is also anthologized in Asian and International literary journals.
Srijanabritta has hosted noted litterateurs including Shyamal, Yug Pathak from Nepal and Norjang Syangden, Kewal Chandra Lama, Lekhnath Chettri from Darjeeling and poet-artist Deepa Rai from Sikkim in its various events in past. Srijanabritta publishes the magazine ‘Syaahee’ occasionally. ‘Piraty Saanjh’ is one of its sought-after poetry-music events organised on every Valentines’ Day.
Tenzin Tsundue will be presented by ‘Srijanabritta’ under its event Random Adda on November 7, 2021 at 3 PM at Café the Twins, Methibari, Salbari, District Darjeeling.
