Jaipur setting for major literary festival
Ziya Us Salam
The third Jaipur Literature Festival, set to begin on January 23, promises to be “bigger and more vibrant than ever before.”
With 75 Indian and 25 foreign authors expected to participate, the five-day even will arguably be one of the biggest gatherings of writers and bibliophiles. The likes of Gore Vidal, Ian McEwan, Manil Suri, Nayantara Saghal, Kamila Shamsie, Kunal Basu, Dev Anand, Aparna Sen and Aamir Khan are expected.
Author William Dalrymple, the brain behind the event, says: “We can claim unequivocally that it is the largest literary festival in the country. Many such occasions are confined to a closed circle of authors and their select readers. Here, you don’t have to be a member of any literary club or a society to listen to the authors. Just board a bus to Jaipur and come. There is no green room. The authors are at the mercy of the readers.”
Namita Gokhale, who chose authors with Mr.Dalrymple, says: “We worked closely together. The emphasis was not just on availability; we made an attempt not to repeat any author of last year. For instance, we have invited Tamil author Salma who is an example of empowerment through literature.”
The festival “will have a range, soul and an unexpected note,” Ms.Gokhale said, adding that it “provides an umbrella under which great names of literature can shelter the rising stars.”
Mr.Dalrymple adds: “We have come up with a mix of the highbrow and the popular. But the festival almost did not take off. Till October last year we did not have the funds. We gave ourselves two months but somehow managed to raise the money needed. D.S.Constructions came forward. It reflects a new dimension with construction companies coming forward to help build a literary festival..”
It is slated to have debates, lectures, editing and children’s workshops. One highlight is a music performance by Anoushka Shankar, whose album with Karsh Kale, ‘Breathing under Water’ has just been released. Aamir Khan’s film, 'Taare Zameen Par' will be screened. The premiere of ‘Atonement’ will feature Ian McEwan in a question and answer session with Christopher Hampton.
The festival will be preceded by a three-day ‘Translating Bharat’ seminar, bringing into focus the regional languages, authors and translators.
“We have no agenda, no government funding. There are some politically incorrect names maybe, but the idea is, people will come for the big names but go back with new names in their memory,” Mr.Dalrymple says.
Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, January 18, 2008
Ziya Us Salam
The third Jaipur Literature Festival, set to begin on January 23, promises to be “bigger and more vibrant than ever before.”
With 75 Indian and 25 foreign authors expected to participate, the five-day even will arguably be one of the biggest gatherings of writers and bibliophiles. The likes of Gore Vidal, Ian McEwan, Manil Suri, Nayantara Saghal, Kamila Shamsie, Kunal Basu, Dev Anand, Aparna Sen and Aamir Khan are expected.
Author William Dalrymple, the brain behind the event, says: “We can claim unequivocally that it is the largest literary festival in the country. Many such occasions are confined to a closed circle of authors and their select readers. Here, you don’t have to be a member of any literary club or a society to listen to the authors. Just board a bus to Jaipur and come. There is no green room. The authors are at the mercy of the readers.”
Namita Gokhale, who chose authors with Mr.Dalrymple, says: “We worked closely together. The emphasis was not just on availability; we made an attempt not to repeat any author of last year. For instance, we have invited Tamil author Salma who is an example of empowerment through literature.”
The festival “will have a range, soul and an unexpected note,” Ms.Gokhale said, adding that it “provides an umbrella under which great names of literature can shelter the rising stars.”
Mr.Dalrymple adds: “We have come up with a mix of the highbrow and the popular. But the festival almost did not take off. Till October last year we did not have the funds. We gave ourselves two months but somehow managed to raise the money needed. D.S.Constructions came forward. It reflects a new dimension with construction companies coming forward to help build a literary festival..”
It is slated to have debates, lectures, editing and children’s workshops. One highlight is a music performance by Anoushka Shankar, whose album with Karsh Kale, ‘Breathing under Water’ has just been released. Aamir Khan’s film, 'Taare Zameen Par' will be screened. The premiere of ‘Atonement’ will feature Ian McEwan in a question and answer session with Christopher Hampton.
The festival will be preceded by a three-day ‘Translating Bharat’ seminar, bringing into focus the regional languages, authors and translators.
“We have no agenda, no government funding. There are some politically incorrect names maybe, but the idea is, people will come for the big names but go back with new names in their memory,” Mr.Dalrymple says.
Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, January 18, 2008
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