PANJIM: he fourth edition of the Goa Arts and Literary Festival (GALF) was inaugurated on Thursday at Kala Academy.
The function, though sparsely attended, commenced with the energetic Gayan Bayan performance by the monks from Uttar Kamalabari Satra in Majuli, Assam.
The keynote speakers at the event were eminent poet A K Mehrotra and writers Meera Kosambi and Mitra Phukan.
Mehrotra read works from poets such as W H Auden, Charles Baudelaire and Anna Akhmatova, Kosambi shared the Goan-ness in her father and grandfather’s writings, while Phukan spoke about cultural contexts and Assam.
Governor V B Wanchoo said that he was optimistic that Assam, which is in the spotlight this festival, will see better days.
The Governor also unveiled the festival poster artwork created by artist Amruta Patil.
The two books launched on the occasion were Unsettling the Past: Unknown Aspects and Scholarly Assessments of D D Kosambiand Tsunami Simon by Damodar Mauzo.
The evening also saw a comical Konkani skit enacted by Rajay Pawar and Rajdeep Naik and a performance by Carlos & friends.
