Russian Cultural Centre in Trivandrum in association with Moscow State Museum of S.A. Yesenin is organising a series of functions to mark the 120th Birth Anniversary of the Russian Poet Sergei Yesenin. The festival was officially inaugurated on 9th October, 2015. But a photo-exhibition portraying the life of the poet began at the Roerich Art Gallery of the Russian Cultural Centre on 3rd October.

While inaugurating the festival, famous poet in Malayalam Dr. Puthusseri Ramachandran said that Sergei Yesenin was a true poet and true human being who had loved his mother Russia. “Village life of Yesenin influenced his skills. It reflected in his poems. For him his country and his mother were important than anything. The poet who could understand his limits confessed the same through the poem ‘Letter to the Mother’. He expressed his patriotism by telling that for him Mother Russia was more important than the heaven. A poet should be sincere and need to have self respect. He should write for his own satisfaction but the same time his works should inspire the common men. Yesenin was a true poet. He hated the pseudo society because he was not a selfish writer”, said Dr. Puthusseri Ramachandran. Dr. Puthusseri Ramachandran is the recipient of many awards including Sergei Yesenin Award which is being jointly instituted by the Russian Cultural Centre in Trivandrum and Moscow State Museum of S.A. Yesenin.

Another recipient of the Yesenin Award, poetess and translator of many works of Russian Poets Mrs. Rose Mary delivered the key-note address. In her address, Mrs. Rose Mary said that even though Yesenin could live only up to 30 years, he could establish himself as a true poet who had shown commitments to the society. “Poems of Yesenin reflected the under currents in his life and philosophy that he followed. Readers can easily make out his mind from the lines of his poems”, said Mrs. Rose Mary.

Mr. Ratheesh C. Nair, Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation and Director of Russian Culture Centre (RCSC) in Trivandrum presided over the function. Prof. Govindan Nair, Head of the Pushkin Language Institute at RCSC, Trivandrum also spoke on the occasion. Dr. Puthusseri Ramachandran, Mrs. Rose Mary and Mrs. Sushama Mohan read out the poems of Yesenin that were translated into Malayalam.

Mrs. Yekatirina Ostapchuk, Mrs. Larisa Ergardt and Dr. Galina Gomonyuk read out Yesenin’s poems in Russian.

Photo exhibition concluded on 9th October. 7th Sergei Yesenin award will be announced on 17th October. The award will be given away on 23rd December, 2015. Poetry reading competition for students will also be organised as part of the Yesenin Festival. The festival is being organised in association with Moscow State Museum of S.A. Yesenin.