Monalisa Changkija, Asenla Yanger Ozüküm along with the author’s parents during the book launch at Dimapur on January 24. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 24
Echo My Soul, an assortment of poems written by writer and educationist, Asenla Yanger Ozüküm was officially released by Monalisa Changkija, Founding Editor & Publisher of Nagaland Page at Don Bosco Institute for Development & Leadership, Dimapur on January 24.
Published by PenThrill Publication House, the book in divided into three different sections of poems called soul speaking, soul searching and soul solacing detailing the writer’s personal journey through life. Referred to as ‘soul-songs,’ this book is a collection of pain, loss and dejection, Ozüküm said. In addition to subjects on love, spiritualism, nature, political discord and human relation, the poems provide an insight into the mind and soul of the author in a poignant manner.
Written over an extensive period of time, Ozüküm hoped that her poems would be able to resonate with the reader and connect them with their own experiences.
Speaking on the occasion, Monalisa regretted that although voluminous numbers of books have been written by Naga authors, there has been little progress in the area of acknowledgment and preservation by the institutions in the State.
“Our own institutions, colleges and schools show least interest in the most active period of literary endeavours and history of Nagaland till date,” she viewed.
She added that our state government could have also immensely boosted the literary image of the state by buying books written by local writers and poets directly from the authors or the publishing houses, this in-turn being gifted to visiting dignitaries or being promoted at business summits in Indian cities and abroad. However, as the government is primarily focused only on narrow goals and achieving short-term gains, for now we can only cross our fingers and hope for the best, she remarked.
Monalisa underscored the need to promote reading and writing in schools and colleges through interactions with established and published writers and poets. In this technological age of smart phones and social media, the value of reading was all the more necessary to enhance the minds of the young.
She thus appreciated writers such as Asenla Yanger Ozüküm, “who continue to put pen to paper and bang on the keyboard late into the night to document one of the most crucial cultural activities of human endeavours.”
Providing a comprehensive review of the book, poet and author, Renthunglo Shitiri, noted that poetry as an art form was about expressing the in-expressible through the use of imagery; metaphors and figurative devices. Particularly for women throughout history, it has been used as a tool to bring social and political change. “In terms of our scenario, we have stalwarts like Dr Temsula Ao, Monalisa Changkija, Easterine Kire and now Asen with her new book is continuing that tradition,” she noted.
She discussed how the book touches upon sensitive topics such as love, culture and political identity, family etc.
On the publisher’s note, Vishu Rita Krocha, said that this was the 69th publication of PenThrill Publication House. She applauded the writing sensibility of Ozüküm, beautifully illustrated in the poems that she wrote.
