Finally the Lit Fest could extract from within me the desire ,the intent to write. This is going to be my first entry of the year.
Three years ago, I had read about the Literature Festival that was held in a nearby city of Jaipur. I was quite excited at that time. I had so badly wanted to attend the Festival, but because of this and that, the numerous reasons you create to pacify yourself, I had not been able to be a part of this literary festival. And each successive year as it was held in the month of January, I would make plans but the execution would remain equally elusive. But not this time. Determination, resolve and some motivation from my sister, who happened to be my partner in the Fest, finally led me to the until now heard of the Fest.
The decision was made. We were going to attend two days of the Fest. The speakers to be heard were chosen according to their theme of the session, some were preferred because of their popularity and Gayatri Spivak was chosen , as I had read of her in my book of Translation Studies. She was going to be my star speaker.
We reached Jaipur on Thursday. The Festival had been inaugurated on the same day. We had not registered ourselves for the 24th , so we decided to explore the city a bit. The next day was the day of action. We reached Diggy Palace at around 11 in the morning. I had not created an image of the venue in my head before reaching there. And thankfully I was saved. The word 'Palace' always gives me an idea of a sprawling area with an immaculate palace with manicured lawns and which reflects the riches of the Royals. However prejudiced my notion of a palace is, Diggy Palace was nowhere to it. Nevertheless, it covers a huge area. Since, this Festival attracts people from all over, the decoration was emanating the essence of Jaipur and Rajasthan of being the most colourful state of India. The venue was colourfully decorated.
The Fest is one of the most popular fests in India. The crowd swarming inside the venue was a testimony of its popularity. However, I noticed ( I don't know how far it is true ) that the festival not only attracts as audience those who are really interested in listening to the speakers such as academicians, artists, teachers, budding writers, journalists, students, but also a lot of crowd was constituted of those who had come to take a feel of the Fest, have a look at the celebrities or just to have an outing and see the whole world that comes flocking to the city. I remarked that a lot of people, old, young, middle aged were carrying their cameras and not the digital ones (of course some of them like me had their digital ones intact) but the SLRs or the professional cameras. So it seemed to me that the festival presented itself as an opportunity of capturing the moment, practicing one's photography skills or simply showing of one's camera.
Show off seemed to be another criteria of the festival though not intentionally done. The Festival was a platform for everyone to show their best of dressing available in the wardrobe. Some dressed in silk saris and kurtas, some in their western outfits, some casually dressed. But there was a sense of potraying oneself in the best outfit of their lives.The Nehruvian jacket which has become a trademark of the intellectuals, artists, academicians was to be seen very frequently too.
Howsoever they were dressed, one could not keep apart their innate self from their beautiful attire. This is in reference to some cases ( and I hope there were only few, but I experienced it more than once) where people showed complete reluctance to behave in a proper way. With us, it happened for a real trivial issue of getting a seat. While I would not get into it, but I earnestly hope there were only a few instances. But there were those too who offered their seats to the elderly. The Festival gave an impression of a mini world where people from different nationalities had congregated.
The most important feature of the Fest is ofcourse the sessions that were held. There were book launches, there were writers who presented their books, there were social scientists, actors, lyricists, professors who created an atmosphere of exchange of ideas that led to a healthy discussion amongst the audience. The most remarkable session for me would have to be the one I attended on my first day that of Shabana Azmi and Prasoon Joshi where they discussed the Sex and Sensibility in Bollywood. It was quite an animated session as the gathering cheered both the speakers for their emphatic views on women's independence, the informed choices that they should make. Given the recent incident of gangrape in Delhi last year in December, this was quite a relevant issue. I wonder, however, while the ideas were discussed and the audience applauded the remarks of the speakers, how many of us have taken back with us these ideas for execution in real situations. Now that is where my doubt stems up. Nothing could challenge the credibilty of the Fest that it engenders so many ideas that wander in various directions. But what is the fate of all these wonderful ideas when the larger public does not really attempt to dig further.
The second session which was to my liking and that created a stir because of a comment by the renowned sociologist Ashish Nandy was that of Republic of Ideas. I reached a little late but when I reached it was Tarun Tejpal who had been speaking on the issue of corruption in our country. Then came the turn of Richard Sorabjee who as he claimed , was not an expert of the Indian context so restricted himself mostly to the United States. But the best part was really the one that Mr Ashish Nandy had fuelled an idea that seemed so out of place and irresponsible on his part. Ashutosh , the editor at IBN 7 , who happened to share the stage with him, was quick to castigate Mr. Nandy's ideas, much to the applause of the cheering audience. I didn't know that a FIR had ben lodged against Nandy until only I came back to my hotel.
Some of you would be surprised that I haven't mentioned my star speaker's session as one of my favourites. I attended her session which was on reviewers and critics. I listened to her intently, understanding almost everything except when she talked of her work Can the sublatern speak? To be honest, I have not read it. I have read her only in the context of translation where we talk of the postcolonial translations. Because of my ineptitude in the domain of literary criticism, could not have an experience I wanted to have with my star speaker.
All in all, the Festival is an experience which enthuses you, instills in you new ideas, enhances your knowledge in one way or the other and provides you with various points of views which help widen one's horizon and not to forget gives you an opportunity to see, listen and interact with the famous celebrities of art, history and literature. While this was what the Festival was for me, I am sure others who attended would have their additions and subtractions in the list mentioned above.
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