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Program Objectives
The word sangam in Sanskrit literally means
"going together." In most Indian languages,
sangam has come to mean such confluences as the
flowing together of rivers and coincidence. The
intention of Sangam House is to bring together
writers from around the world to live and work
in a safe, peaceful setting. The world we live
in makes a space such as this necessary on many
levels.
Assembling writers from various cultural
backgrounds broadens the scope of each
individualÕs work. Exposure to regional and
national trends in literature, to multiple
political and economic obstacles and varied
social and cultural milieus enhances each
writerÕs understanding of his/her work, as well
as his/her own notions of identity and home.
The Winter 2008 Sangam House Residency Program
is the inaugural undertaking of what will become
an on-going annual program in arts and letters.
Sangam House will support this gathering
annually at the Adishakti property in the heart
of Pondicherry, India. Further, we envision contributing to a
global network of residency programs that allow
for similar gatherings in all corners of the
world. Not only do these programs enrich their
participants and the texture of international
literature, they have the potential to infuse
local communities with inspirations and new
ideas. Partnering with local organizations and
individuals on each continent, we will secure
diverse and peaceful havens for writers to work
and meet. Each participating writer can deepen
his or her understanding of the diverse
emotional and social climates in which
literature is conceived and received.
Most importantly, our residency programs are
designed for writers who have published to some
acclaim but not yet enjoyed substantial
commercial success. Sangam House seeks to give
writers (and we include here translators, poets,
playwrights and those involved in creating
fiction and non-fiction works) a chance to build
a substantial and influential network of
personal and professional relationships that can
deepen their own work, in effect, expanding and
diversifying literature. We understand that literature can and should evolve, allowing it to remain a thriving force of illumination for our times. We are proud to partner with the following organizations in this effort:
Danish Council for the Arts
Finnish Literature Exchange (FILI)
Random House India
freeDimensional
Neemrana Hotels
Lavanya Sankaran
The Centre for Communication and Development Studies
Sahitya Akademi (The Indian National Academy for Letters)
The Business Standard
Penguin India
InKo Centre, Chennai
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