The Panchkula Art and literary Festival (PAlF), hosted by Rumour Books India in collaboration with Satluj Public School, began here with over 40 people from the art and literati world across the nation participating.
The two-day fest was inaugurated by the Raghu Rai, renowned photo journalist.
A major attraction of the event was #Connect - Panchkula Childrens’ literary Festival held at Satulj Public School Sector 4 here, a one-of-its kind literary carnival for students. Half day workshops were held there as well by noted authors like Christopher C Doyle and Jerry Almeida, besides others. There were four book launches, which included, Storm the Storm by Anisha Motwani, Doosra by Vish Dhamija and Job Charnock Riddle by Victor Ghoshe.
The first session was titled ‘living Creatively’, in which Rai took the audience on a journey that captured his internal and external world, his art and its many facets. The ace photographer chose to give the audience a close view of his black and white photographs of places, people, spaces in the Himalayas…”I do not take pretty pictures, they have been done to death. When you connect with the space, are alert and feel, nature gifts you magical moments, which are replete with emotions and energy,’’ Rai pointed to some works of Gangotri in its sheer strength, the Dal lake in various moods.
Radhika Serai, Founding Director of PAlF and CEO, Rumour Books India, said, “last year, there were 40 schools on board. This year PAlF expanded its reach with the kind support of CBSE and connected with over 3,000 schools in North West India, making PAlF North West India’s largest art and literary festivals.”
While day long sessions were held on art and literature, on Day 2 the fest will start with a session on censorship in movies, theatre, television and literature. There will be a special session, ‘Pulling the Plug on Punjabi Cinema’ which would be chaired by Savita Bhatti and will be attended by prominent people from the Punjabi film industry like Amardeep Gill, Gurinder Dimpy, Inderjit Nikku, and Harish Verma.