Find it difficult to take your nose out of a book? Does the mere thought of travelling give you an adrenalin rush? Raushan Kamdar combines for you the quiet island of reading and the cacophony of travel, recommending 6 must-visit literary festivals
Reading has always been an intimate and private affair. On the other hand, travel is seen as a means to get out of the intimate and private arena to explore the frontiers beyond. Recent times have seen an intermingling of the two in the form of literary festivals. Their emergence is a unique show of intellectual discourse, vibrancy of thought and literary dialogues in the heart of some of India’s oldest cities. The intimate has now come to be embedded within a wider culture of public spectacles and performances. Literature festivals capture the changing landscape of literature in India, as the largely impersonal relationship between the reader and writer has now become an informal face-to-face interaction. Following are six of India’s major literary festivals that will enthrall the literary enthusiast in you and urge you to step out for a jaunt and explore historic cities.
Recognised as one of the largest literary festivals in Asia, this fest in India’s Pink City combines heritage, royalty and literature. Organised by William Dalrymple and Namita Gokhale, JLF sees the fusion of acclaimed writers and artists across various genres and
origins. Speakers are the soul of any lit fest and JLF has a rich list of local and international authors and celebrity glitterati who have been a part of this venture. They include writers like J.M.Coetzee, Orhan Pamuk, Salman Rushdie, Amartya Sen, Jhumpa Lahiri, Amish Tripathi, Mahasweta Devi, Jerry Pinto, and noted celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Oprah Winfrey, the late Dev Anand, Anoushka Shankar and more. This fest spread over five days is a beautiful confluence of readings, debates and discussions.
Where: Diggi Palace
When: January every year
Tickets/Entry: Free
Stay options: Aapnni Hotel (station road), Acacia Inn hotel (MI Road), Amrapali Hotel and Resorts (airport zone). PGs and hostels are available subject to availability.
Local attractions: Jaipur Heritage Walk, City Palace, Central Museum, Nahargarh Fort, Hawa Mahal, Amer Fort
Penguin India, one of the leading publishing houses in the country, is the mastermind behind this 10-day long literature festival. This fest has an open air library, book reading sessions and unplugged conversations with regional and English writers. Its spacious layout and its quiet corner facility, away from the bustle of the crowd to indulge in some reading, are nothing short of a browser’s paradise.
Vikram Seth, Gurcharan Das, Ramchandra Guha, Shashi Tharoor, Devdutt Pattanaik, Sudha Murty and Mira Nair are just some of the people who have been panellists here. The festival also organises movie quizzes, talent hunts and musical evenings for its audience.
Where: India Habitat Centre
When: March every year
Tickets/Entry: Free
Stay options: The Corporate Regency (Lajpat Nagar), Anmol Hotel (Pahargunj), Hotel Flora (Daryagunj), Hotel Royal Blue (Airport area). Hostels and PGs are subject to availability.
Local attractions: Dilli Haat, National Museum, Lodi Gardens, Jama Masjid, India Gate, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Bahai Temple
Lekhana Literary Weekend, Bangalore
The Lekhana Festival is not a conventional literature festival in terms of commerciality. It is spread over the weekend, and in a single event they bring together writers in as many languages over readings, discussions and small performances. It is a more intimate festival compared to others and it taps into the city’s literary talent. It brings lesser known names who have made indelible contributions to the literary landscape to the fore. The panel discussions cover everything from the role of translation in bridging cultural gaps to new Kannada writing, among other topics. The panels have seen writers like Lakshmi Holmstorm, Rahul Soni, Giriraj Kiradoo, Girish Karnad and Vanamala.
Where: NGMA
When: TBA
Tickets/Entry: Free
Stay options: 31 South Park Boutique Hotel (Jayanagar), AAA Luxury Stay (electronic city), Abids Vinkas (KR Puram)
Local attractions: Lal Bagh, Bannerghatta National Park, Bangalore Palace, Ulsoor, HAL Aerospace Museum, Thottikallu (waterfalls), Devanhalli Fort, Bellandur Lake, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace
TIP FOR FESTIVAL HOPPERS
While you plan your year ahead, make sure to attend at least one festival and enjoy the literary and artistic atmosphere. And yes, do not forget to carry your favourite book to get it autographed, and if you are lucky enough, you might get to take a picture with your favourite author too!
The Hindu Lit Fest is a three-day literary extravaganza that entails discussions on literature, politics, society, environment, history, sports, music, theatre and films. Its distinguished panel in the past saw Arundhati Subramnaiam, Arvind Adiga, Gulzar, Naomi Wolf, Barkha Dutt, Pablo Bartholomew, Sharmila Tagore, Rahul Bose and more.
Where: TBA
When: TBA
Tickets/Entry: Free
Stay options: Ammu Palace (Mount Road), The Home (Madipakkam), Hotel Ashiqa Palace (NSC Bose Road)
Local attractions: Marina Beach, Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Government Museum Chennai, Covelong, Puzhal Aeri
This festival represents the rich and cosmopolitan ethos of twin cities Hyderabad and Secunderabad. The distinguishing trait of this festival is its strong focus on writing in Indian Languages and having multi-lingual events. Its speaker lineup in the past has involved Amrit Gangar, Anand Gandhi, Githa Hariharan, Lalita Iyer, Mahesh Dattani, Nasreen Munni Kabir, Sumantara Bose, Yasmeen Premji among many others.
Where: Numerous venues across Hyderabad
When: TBA
Entry/Tickets: Free
Stay options: Anu Guest House (Madhapur), Anupama Guest House (Jubilee hills), Apple Homes Guest House (Kondapur)
Local attractions: Golkonda Fort, Salar Jung Museum, Hussain Sagar Lake, Chowmahalla palace, Lumbini Park, Birla Mandir, Nehru Zoological Park, Birla Science Museum, NTR Park, Charminar
INTERNATIONAL LITERAPY FESTS OF REPUTE
* Hay Festival, of Literature and the Arts, Wales, UK: The Town of Books, Hay-on-Wye, plays host to the UK’s best known literary festival by roping in famous writers, conducting workshops and book signings, as well as opening the grounds up for the most awesome book shops.
* Hollywood Book Festival, Los Angeles, USA: The film capital of the world gives its due to books too. Among other events, it includes a competition to find literature that should be given more credence by the film and television industries.
* Vancouver International Writers Festival, Granville Island, Canada: For over 25 years, Canada has been treated to high-profile writers thanks to this festival. Bi-monthly readings are held in association with the Vancouver Public Library, featuring both Canadian and international authors.
* PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature, New York, USA: Writers from all over the world meet and discuss bravery in arts, politics and personal life.
* International Literature Festival Berlin, Germany: World literature is explored over the course of 180 events. Apart from panel discussions, visitors are also treated to film adaptations and children’s literature, as well as written works from South Korea to Russia to Albania to South Africa.
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