Runglwo - Another Literature Festival of 2020 is set to be organized in February 2020

Runglwo - Another Literature Festival of 2020 is set to be organized in February 2020
on Nov 29, 2019

Prime minister Narendra Modi has recently praised Runglwo, the Rung community of Uttarakhand’s Dharchula region in the latest edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Runglwo got these words of appreciation for the efforts to preserve their language. The community has felt so obliged that they have decided to organize a literature festival in February 2020. “From next year, we would also host a literature festival. The festival would take place in the first fortnight of February 2020. We will invite artists and writers from India and Nepal and others who write in English, Hindi, Nepali, and Runglwo,” said NS Napalchyal, former chief secretary of Uttarakhand and head of Rung Kalyan Sanstha, a body that works for preservation and uplift of Rung community. The history of the Runglwo community tells that it was initiated around 40 years ago when Nadan Singh Lala, a member of Rang society from Nepal, donated 1 Lakh to develop the script and the language. Napalchyal said, “This is why we have decided to celebrate his birthday as Runglwo Day on 10th January evet year from now.” According to the community members, it was the foresight of their ancestors who made it compulsory to use Runglwo during every ceremony, including birth, marriage or death. We have been organizing a Rung festival every third year for the past 20 years in which knowledge of the language is compulsory to take part in the events. Even the curators have to speak in Runglwo,” Napalchyal added.