Three-day lit fest begins at Bihar Museum

PATNA: The Bihar Museum came alive on Friday, as authors, poets, scholars and students gathered there to attend the inaugural session of the 'Ahad Anhad' - a festival of words and performances.
The three-day event, which will continue till Sunday, was formally inaugurated with a lamp lighting ceremony, followed by speeches and a musical narrative inspired by the works of India's greatest poets.
Event's director Sujata Prasad said, "Nothing works better than a festival where contradictory thoughts co-exist, free from emotional and identity driven 'us versus them'."
Alakh N Sharma, director of the Institute for Human Development (IHD), spoke about the rich literature history of the city.
Dr Ajit Pradhan, a cardiologist and an Urdu poet, spoke about the festival's attempt to unite people with love and compassion.
Photojournalist Raghu Rai discussed the title of the festival, 'Ahad-Anhad'. He said, "Artists need to go beyond the "Had" (limitation and boundaries) to find their true divine blessing."
The inaugural ceremony was followed by a musical concert by Rene Singh, Syeda Hameed and Manu Sikander on the theme "Lo Phir Basant Aayee"- a blend of music, poetry and performance showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Bihar.