These days we find a number of good literary web journals online, particularly in India. Three and half years back it was quite difficult in India for Kritya to explain the importance of web journals, mainly for our Hindi section readers. Now things are more clear and comprehensible, we are happily accepted probably because of the change in outlook of the writers and readers in the literary world. Still a few writers keep on insisting to bring out Kritya in print also. They might be thinking that the feel of paper may give more warmth than that of a keyboard or mouse; or getting published in a print journal may be more prestigious for them. They may have their own reasons.

Kritya has organized 3 poetry festivals in the past and is going to organize the fourth on this November. Bringing out a web journal has not been difficult for us, and Kritya has its own vision, which is of great significance.

I personally feel that web journals have helped us in decentralizing literature. Literature in print mostly works in favour of centralization of literature. The popular journals produced in big countries under big banners are dominated by powerful personalities. Getting published in these journals is not easy even for a good writer sometimes. On the other hand, if an upcoming writer gets published in such a journal, he/she might become overconfident, and his/her growth might thereby be hindered. It is not easy to reach these journals from small cities either. But web journals are open to everyone; anyone can make one’s own blog, publish one’s own writings and write without fear. There will be no discrimination among creative writers here. Some poets might have a fear that web journals spoil the standard of literature. But this is not true, as writing about a variety of topics and giving a chance to good writers can only enrich literature. Moreover, literature itself decides its own path. Good literature will grow like trees and bad literature will get converted into manure. For a good tree, we need a good seed as well as good manure.

Now I come to the second point. My liking for web journals is related to ecology also. Being a student of the Vedas and living in Kerala, I have a natural love for trees. When I see that a number of rubber trees have knives on their trunk for extracting the sap for rubber, I feel terrible pain in my heart. And I try to minimize my use of rubber and plastics. I can feel the life of trees, while walking under the trees in Kaladi University campus. When I go to my department from my hostel, I feel so fresh and happy because of their presence. I sometimes engage in an exciting communication with them. Living in the company of so many trees, how can I imagine them being cruelly murdered?

We have brought out at least 40 issues of Kritya so far, and if it were a print journal, we might have killed at least 4000 trees. So I still feel that I should not go for print journals as long as I really love trees and my earth.

The artist of this issue is Mahya Farmani, who  is an upcoming artist for Tehran.

The sketches have been made by  Rajendra Pardeshi.

Friends, we are drawing close to our poetry festival. We hope and wish that all of you will partake in our festival and make it a grand success.

Best

                                Rati Saxena


Please check the link for Poetry festival-   kritya2008