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Dear Rati ji,
I hope you are doing well.
Long time I didnt receive any responses from you. I called your number in India (home and cell) a couple of times...but couldn't get you.
How was the festival and how is everything going with you?


Best,
Suma Subramaniam

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hello madam,
pranamas to you,
thanx a lot for your invitation and wonderful hospitality. all all alone you made an indelible mark in the realms of poetry and in the minds of international arena. i like your temperement, boldness and guts to speak daggers in the face of the persons.what you said is true. when we go for help our own people will not help.' i knoched many doors but only a few answered' your words speak volumes. mam we too would like to do a small poetry festival on our own in our college. coney our thanx to sir for taking us to the space station. now we are conducting pupet shoe imn our college on 9th so busy with that.
kindly let us know that anything we can do to kritya in future.

with regards
gopi and suseela

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Dear Rati,

I have read some reports from your festival there right on the net, and I am to say that it was a good event, wasn't it? I regret I was not there. Meanwhile, I have started translating all your book, since I think it will be published in autumn. I have to say your poems are amazing indeed and it's a real pleasure and honour for me to translate them. Take care and I hope to get news from you soon.

Federico
 

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आदरणीय रति जी
आपकी मेरी बात सम्बल देने वाली है
बधाई स्वीकारे

आलोक

094252 20625

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Many thanks Ratiji,
class="tip" align="justify">
The Festival Presentation is quite nice, I saw it yesterday. Poems for July are yet to be seen.
Regards, class="tip" align="justify">
Aju Mukhopadhyay

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Thanks for sending the information. Pictures show that the prog was wonderful. HAI HUSSAIN HUM NA HUYE
regards
janmejai

**


प्रिय रति जी

इतनी सुन्दर संयोजना के सुखद समापन पर समस्त कृत्या परिवार को हार्दिक बधाई, उम्मीद है जल्दी ही फेस्टीवल से चुनी कविताएँ पढ़ने को मिलेंगी और भविष्य में कभी यदि भगवान ने चाहा तो उपस्थित होकर सुनने का मौका भी....

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Dear Ratiji,
Thank you in return for arranging such a wonderful get together at such a great venue. Vailopilly Bhavan was indeed a befitting place for such a festival. I am grateful for the hospitality and the homely food. The canvases during the painting session could have been extended to many as I found there were more poet-painters among us than expected. The Kudiyattam was also excellent.
with warm regards,
Annie George.

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Dear Rati Saxena,

we had a very nice and interesting time in Trivandrum. We'd like to thank you for everything and we will remember India and Kritya for very long time. Keep you in touch.

lass="tip" align="justify">
Best wishes,
Lana&Davor

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HI Rati,

I had a lovely time in Trivandrum and I think you did extremely well looking after all our needs. I fact, I am impressed by your drive and your daring in organizing Kritya 2007.
I look forward to more, so that I can again come down to the lovely city of TVM .

I was wondering if I can have a list of the emails of all the participants so that I can send pictures I have taken of them.

Do please stay in touch.

Best wishes,

John Matthew

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Dear Rati,

wanted to write to you as soon I returned to Roma, but unfortunately I had to go immediately to Milan and I come back last night. Now I find your dear letter.
First of all I want that you know that my staying in Triandrum and participating to Kritya was a very meaningful, positive and beautiful experience for me. I am very very glad I was imitated and I accepted to participate and I will tell everybody in my country that Kritya is a very good international poetry festival.
I met so many and alive people from countries that I have never visited and it was so good to get in contact with many Indian poets.
Of course to organise an international Festival like Kritya is difficult and it was your first experience and to have a very good team, with little money available, is not easy. Of course anything can always be improved. But we had very meaningful and important hours during the four days, even if we wasted all day long on the 20th, which could be used to know each other before any reading and also to know Trivandrum, organizing a visit of the town for the foreign poets. We also had too long readings ( in particular with Indian poets, also because nobody was going to read the English translations, as it is normal to do in international festival): probably too many poets reading in two days. However I repeat you must be proud of your Kritya and of the work you did: you have been very good and clever, working very hard. You also gave us some painting, music, theatre and for me it was a very good way to get in contact directly with Indian culture. I also liked very much the visit we did to Kumarasan house. I am sure that Ayappa Paniker is proud of you!
Of course I want to keep in contact with you. First of all I want to remind you that you should make sure that my real five poems will be on the site, because you know that four of the five poems on the book belong to an other unknown poet. I also hope to see you in Rome , any time you want to come.
My regard also to your husband for the interesting visit to the Space Museum.

Friendly Roberto

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Rati madam,
We are all excited to be associated with kritya 2007.our joy and delight reached new heights after interaction with many poets both from our country and abroad.
The media it appears THE HINDU, INDIAN EXPRESS] ARE NON PLUS towards this gigantic
meet. Let us prepare them for a +ve attitude next time.
we really owe al ot to you and your husband for our journey into the cosmicworldat V S SC.

HOPE YOU WILL PUT SOME PHOTOS IN THE NEXT ISSUE FOR EVENTUAL INTEEST OF ALL THOSE WHO ATTENDED.

WITH ALL BEST WISHES
PURUSHOTHAM RAO

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Thank you Ratiji,
surely we had good experiences on the grand occasion, of Kerala hospitality and their cultural programme. I remember Prasun and Dr. Mohammed Kunjeru specially. On the basis of what has gone improvement must be made next, I hope.
Good wishes,
Aju Mukhopadhyay

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Dear Ma'am,
Thank you for organising such a wonderful festival.
Here's the link to my article on Kshama Kaul:
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2007/07/28/stories/2007072851170300.htm

I got a reply from her.

Thanks again.
Regards,
Anupama

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Dear Ratiji:
It was overall a wonderful experience. Your efforts were genuine and we appreciate that.

The entire festival was covered photographically on a digtal camera by Ajay, if I am not wrong about his name. I shall appreciate if you can send the entire coverage on email by Kodak Album to all the participants.

I shall also request you to send to each participant, their email addresses, sothat that we can keep in touch and plan some thing for the future.

With warm regards

Mohan K Diwan

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Dear Rati

That was a wonderful festival. Hats off to you for having achieved this inspite of many constraints. Hope to meet you again in more relaxed situations.
Please send me a letter confirming my attendance at the festival so that I a can avail of duty leave and submit my joining report.

Please do send this as early as possible.
I will be sending the photocopy of air tkts by courier.
Thank you and warm regards.
Shyamala

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dear Rati... i am again in Italy, but i am thinking to India, every moment. this travel is not a thing between other things, but a new possibility for me. you know, in my country i suffer from severe depressions, i have a lot of problems (not only my imaginary beloved!) - but in India i was very well, i have slept every night, i felt a great love around me... and i understand the privilege you (and other Kritya trustees) gave me. i will not forget it.
i will translate also the Love songs in the Atharvaveda, as soon as possibile. i can publish them with a little italian publisher, Cantarena, in 100 copies. i know that you deserve much more, but let me say that i will try to create a wonderful translation. dear friend, thanks again, have a good time!
massimo
 

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Dear Rati,
What a wonderful journal -- I feel like I'm gaining insight into
Indian culture when I read the poems.
Warm Wishes,
Carol

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dear dr. rati,
i have to thank you very much for sending the invitation for the festival of poetry to me and to my sister kirti chaudhary. we could not participate in it due to my indifferent health and kirti's absence from india, but i hope it was well attended and very well recieved. kirti lives in london and will be here in october when she may send to you some of her poems for publication.
you may recall that you had asked me to send some poems for the magazine. i am sorry, i could not do so as i have been unwell. now that i am somewhat better, i will try to read some previous issues online and then do as you wished.in the meantime, could you kindly tell me more about the trust and the venture.i am still unable to type in hindi but in case, i seek someone's help to mail the text in the font 'hindi writer' ,will you be able to access it? forgive me if you find the question naive but the problem is that apart from trying to compose a mail, i am not very familiar with computers. kindly bear with me. i do not know the basics so it may take me some time to read the issues ok 'kritya.'
with best wishes,
yours sincerely,
ajitkumar
 

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Dear Rati ,Many thanks for your kind mail. Pl excuse me for contacting late.Kritya festival is a grand success.You are very modest. Arrangements were top class. Of cource, there is always room for improvement.That alone motivates us to perform better next time. That does not mean this year's show is not impressive. There was extensive coverage in press.It was a magnificent event.Rati ji, No one can conceive and organise an international festival as you have done. Hearty congratulations.It is not just that easy! Food was simply superb.Your gift has swept us all off our feet.Thanks a lot. It is ,indeed, very very special gift.My stay at Allpuzha and Ernakulam was quite pleasant.We are in touch.Warm regards,

Chandra mouli

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Rati,

Glad to know that it went on well. Such festivals are invaluable. Rajeevan was keen that I attend but due to various constraints it became impossible.
We have just settled in after our move from the US. I will be in the country for a year or two. I am offering Creative Writing workshops in poetry to interested colleges and high schools along with poetry readings. If there is an opportunity to come to Kerala let me know.

Wishing you well.

Usha Akella

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My dear sister,

My congratulations on your "monumental day" -- how happy and proud you must have been, and should have been! I see from your own words that we have many things in common. Truly, we must be brother and sister in the spirit:
I too believe in the power of the imagination. I sometimes imagine that I am Michael the Archangel, come for the last days to save the world from suffering, death and hell through compassion.
I too burn the midnight oil (sometimes till 4:00 in the morning).
I too am far from the literary gurus. In fact, I didn't meet a poet in the flesh until I was 49 (earlier this year, in fact). I write and edit in literary seclusion, although I have my family near me at all times.
I am very happy for you, and proud of you!
Your brother,
Mike

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What a fantastic time you must have had, Rati! I am so proud for you. Wish I could have been there with ya'll.


Ward

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Dear Rati,

Just visited kritya.in (Aug.2007).What a fabulous issue. I skimmed through the issue. Detailed report follows. The presentation enables one who could not atend the fest get an idea of the massive programme undertaken by you so confidently and executed with consummate ease and finnesse.In fact, I could benefit much, as I was not there on the first day.Thanks for providing me with an opportunity to recite my poems.Thanks for the photo too.As I mentioned earier it was simply outstanding for the range and magnitude of presentations.Yes, the world was in TVM for three days.And you could accomplish it. Hats off to you and the team.Warm hospitality and affectionate environ made it all the more special.We cherish the memories.Warm regards,

chandra mouli

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Dear Ms. Rati,
Thanks for your mail about Kritya 2007 International Poetry Festival.
It seems some text of the mail is missing.
May I request you please to send the details (report, poems read, etc) of
the festival?

With regards,
Ganesh.

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What a wonderful thing you have done here and are accomplishing. Argo tells me there is much more to come, too... publishing and more celebrations of Kritya, such as this one. Brava!!!

Joneve

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Dear Rati - You are the Amma of Kritya/Poetry, my dear (I just found out about Amma in Kerala considered a saint by many in the world because there was a 90 minute TV special on about her.)

The poets and the pictures were stunning to note while I scrolled through. And you had such support - the President Bhatia of Kerala province and the Princess Bayi - for all your efforts. The location at a Unesco World Heritage site was also well-chosen!

I was also impressed by the international poets and that the U.S. would be represented by Iranian poets gave me a chuckle. The highlighting of the poets from the various regions in India was also crucial for success.

You looked lovely in the photos, too, my dear. Take a deep bow for all your efforts and bring dreams to reality.

If there is anything I may do to continue to assist you, please let me know.

All best,

Christina


P.S. am honored to have been mentioned in your remarks. Thank you.

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Dear Rati Saxena,
I thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing the unique experience of an International Festival of Poetry at Trivandrum. The programme was excellent from beginning to end, and I really enjoyed sitting through the reading sessions and interacting from poets belonging to different parts of the world. I wish you all success in your future endeavors.
I would like to contribute my poems to your online journal. May I send them in the Word format? I would be glad if you would let me know.
Regards,
Jose Varghese

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Dear Saxena,
Don't worry you did it. Of course it was so huge a task for you to do it single handedly since it was your debut international leap. Well done. You yourself might have understood some of the lapses, hence I don't want to reiterate. You can take more care in timing and assigning a receptionist to receive everyone. For instance even if I had confirmed my arrival early there was no badge written for me. I felt little bit embarassed. Everyone must be given equal weightage irrespective of name, country and language.But you gave us a wonderful chance to meet some great poets. Thanks a lot.
You looked more like a leader than a poet. Nice, all poets are not leaders so use your God given ability.

Wishing you more success
J.T.Jayasingh

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Dear Rati,
I'm back after my annual leave and playing catch up with work. We very much enjoyed our stay in Kerala a I am in the middle of organising our annual Short Story festival now. Leanne will be delighted to be featured and translated into Hindi. I hear she has nearly completed her next book. Her email is starleeseer@hotmail.com

warmest regards,

Pat

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Dear Rati,

I am very sorry not to have written a letter so long.
I have prepared and attended Man Hae International Literature Festival, held in a remotest countryside in Korea, from 11 to 13th Aug. I came back from the eastern part of our peninsula yesterday. And, I just opened your letter today. Pardon me for my negligence.
Recalling your festival, I felt some happiness crawling up to my larynx warm and peaceful. I wish I should have walked around the beach, full of coconut trees, with their palms drooping downward laxily and softly in the breeze. It was a pity not to have enough time to travel around the seaside area long enough.
However, I enjoyed your festival so much. Everything was so slowly turning me on and refreshing to me. I liked your hospitality and your friendly treat so much. I found your people were so generous and kind. All the Indian poets, they were really awesome!
After my departure from Trivendrum, one-night stay at ITC in Calcutta, we took a taxi trip around the city and went on to Varanash in the night train, maybe for about 12 hours. From thee to Arga, Deli, for almost a week We came back to Korea at the end of July.
I learned a lot about your culture and your people, especially your music. I bought some CDs I like to listen to every afternoon in idle mind. The music of your traditional musical instrument, kind of guitar(cyrka?), is so wonderful that I like it very much.
I will read your poems and all the other poems more carefully, and think of some steps to do with them. I found Manuel Nesan's poetry were enchanting. I will read Sachi's and yours soon. I don't have enough time to classify the pictures I took there, not yet, sorry. As soon as I can send you those precious photos, I will write again soon.
Till then, Bye Bye! My Royal Empress!
Hano