The Jaipur literature Festival is close on our heels and Team viva guides as to what you should look out for at the festival
The Jaipur literature festival is becoming an equally wholesome tourist experience with circuits being worked out for music, performances and food. From Ustad Amjad Ali Khan to play magic on the sarod to Anne Waldman and Swanand Kirkire bringing together voices from two sides of the globe, the tenth edition of the festival promises to be an extravaganza of culture and literature that attracts hundreds of authors and more than two lakh visitors each year. What better way to enjoy those overwhelming after-session moments and discussions than sipping on the famous Pushkari chai served with added Rajasthani hospitalityIJ The festival is scheduled to be held at the Diggy Palace in Jaipur from January 19 to 23. And this year, it promises to be bigger than ever. Here is a list of activities one must not miss out on:
WORlD OF TAlES
With a great line-up, fans of the written word are in for a treat. This year promises an eclectic mix of speakers, such as the first time Man Booker prize winner Paul Beatty; Bollywood stalwarts Rishi Kapoor and Javed Akhtar; renowned poets Anne Waldman and Ruth Padel; great historians linda Colley, Barry Cunliffe and David Armit age and iconic economists Ha-Joon Chang and Nassim Taleb. “We live in times where the cycles of change are puzzling, often disruptive. Books are the answers to these puzzles, literature is the force that links and binds human stories, and contemplates the human situation. In an increasingly parochial and polarised world, literature helps us scale the walls. And translation is the tool that helps us access cultures and knowledge systems,” said Namita Gokhale, co-director of the festival.
THE SESSION THEMES
The tenth edition of the festival has a variety of themes running through various sessions which centre around Freedom to Dream: India @ 70, The Magna Carta, Translation and World literature, Women and Marginalised Voices, Sanskrit, and Colonialism and the legacy of the Raj.
AUTHORS’ CORNER
Want to lunch with literary heavyweightsIJ While the festival is completely free and open to all, booklovers can grab the golden opportunity to interact with literary heavyweights by buying the Royal Delegate pass, visiting as a ‘Friend of the Festival’. After a leisurely lunch, you can experience the music every evening and round off the festival dancing the night away at the Writer’s Ball. With the delegate pass one will have access to exclusive extra sessions at Amber Fort and Hawa Mahal. ‘Friends of the Festival’ can also avail special festival discounts on accommodation at select hotels.
GET WOWED BY INSTAllATIONS
Be in awe of the excellent art installations by renowned artistes such as Subodh Gupta, Jagmohan Mathodia and Rohit Chawla. Known to make the best of materials intrinsic to all things, Subodh Gupta transforms everyday objects such as milk pales, bicycles and utensils into art reflecting themes of globalisation, migration and the cosmos.
Having exhibited his work across the world, Rohit Chawla’s signature style includes converting a quiet corner at the Diggi Palace into a makeshift photographic studio of sorts, gently whisking away his favourite authors for a quiet intimate portrait.
SOAK IN THE MUSIC
Bringing together arts and culture in partnership with Rajasthan Tourism, Heritage Events is a post-festival, free-for-all event which runs parallel to the festival. In its third year, Heritage Events will present the world’s most renowned poets, musicians and singers. Be captivated as Ustad Amjad Ali Khan plays magic on the Sarod; be enthralled as writer and musician Vidya Shah and actor luke Kenny present their compilation of song and poetry; be enamoured as Anne Waldman and Swanand Kirkire bring together voices from two sides of the globe.
Rhythm and Rhyme and Mujre Se Multiplex Tak are set to cast you off into a great night of music and poetry at the archaic Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort.
Also unwind with a musical evening at Hotel Clarks Amer with an assortment of bands and singers such as Inna Modja, Bombay Bassment, Kabir Café, The Raghu Dixit Project and lissa Hannigan amongst others.
“The exclusively curated evenings offer an experience that uniquely places cultural performances within the context of the city’s built heritage and allows audiences to engage with these significant places in a new dimension,” said Sanjoy Roy, co-founder and managing director of Teamwork Arts, the company that organises the JlF.
ONE WITH THE MAGNA CARTA GAllERY
With the festival bringing the facsimile of the Magna Carta to India for the first time, history will echo in and around Diggi Palace. Magna Carta expert, Dr. Claire, will walk visitors through the journey of the democratic mouthpiece. One can immerse themselves in these exciting historical sessions at the Magna Carta Gallery.
‘SIP’ YOUR WAY THROUGH SESSIONS
What better way to enjoy those overwhelming after-session moments and discussions than sipping on the famous Pushkari chaiIJ Kachori and samosa stalls on the Front lawns will satiate your mid-day hot snack cravings. And all of this will be served with added Rajasthani hospitality.
“We look at making the arts a paying proposition and, at the same time, building brand India through it,” Roy said.
“And we try to make it a mainstream event, curating around it experiences in food and drinks, retail and festivities,” he added.
THE RAJASTHANI MAGIC
Alongside your enriching experience at the royal retreat, the Diggi Palace, explore the nearby cluster of magnificent forts, museums and palaces while visiting the pink city. There is also a regal shopping experience awaiting you with a wealth of antique jewellery, traditional jootis and fabrics. Famous for its flavours the city offers foodies much to relish in its lal maas, dal batti, kachori and other Rajasthani cuisine.
JlF HANDICRAFT BAZAAR
Also a celebration of stories and storytellers, the festival will celebrate the tales and narratives of craft, craftsmen and women, in its many-hued avatars - traditional and contemporary. Direct Create (DC), the online and offline platform that enables makers, designers and buyers to collaborate, co-create and sell handcrafted products, is hosting a vibrant crafts marketplace, the Bazaar. A community of over 50 individual makers, designers and buyers have been brought together to curate this marketplace. The unique crafts showcase honours the versatility and skill of traditional crafts, combining it with a new design language.
The Bazaar will include an artisan pavilion at Cox & Kings Charbagh and a special studio section featuring a larger showcase by select designers and manufacturers at the poolside. It will also host the official festival store featuring products that celebrate its decade long journey. It will showcase more than 20,000 exquisite and curated, handcrafted products.
And as a cherry on top, the festival has also partnered with FreeCharge to go cashless and ensure convenience and efficiency at the venue.