FESTIVALS & EVENTS

The Hits and Misses at Jaipur Literature Festival 2013

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Last updated: Apr 3, 2017

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The Jaipur Literature Festival 2013 just dropped its curtains closing yet another colourful display of Indian and world literature. The festival as usual brewed an engaging mix of conversations, debates and discussions. But there’s much more to JLF than its literary component. There’s also the fun and the glamour. Six Trippers attended the festival and got first-hand information on what worked and what didn’t. Here’s our verdict on the best and worst from the literati, the glitterati and, of course, the chatterati.

The Literati

H.H. Dalai Lama warmed the hearts of the audience in his session with Pico Iyer, Kinships of Faiths: Finding the Middle Way. Photo Credit: Swati Talwar

Adrenaline rushed when I first got my hands on the schedule, so much knowledge to absorb! My personal highlight of the festival was attending the conversation between H.H. Dalai Lama and Pico Iyer on Kinships of Faiths: Finding the Middle Way. With his characteristic childlike laughter interspersing the Q&A rounds, H.H. Dalai Lama warmed the hearts of the sea of people in this enigmatic session.

Javed Akhtar was in his witty elements with a discourse on What is a Ghazal? Form, Structure, Spirit. Pico Iyer’s talk on his latest novel, The Man Within My Head was an interesting conversation on Graham Greene, the diaspora and globalisation.

The Glitterati

Rahul Dravid turned out to be one of the biggest crowd pullers at the festival. Photo Credit: Varun Aggarwal

Carrying bags crammed with brochures and expectations, participants and visitors – both Indians and firangs – were dressed to kill at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2013. From lehangas and turbans to backless dresses and mini-skirts, from tuxedos to kurtas, the fest was at its fashionable best. While the biggies shared their thoughts on literature, the aam aadmi flocked sessions that spurred controversies, enjoying their bit of infotainment.

The verbal clash between Javed Akhtar and Dalit writer Kancha Ilaiah over religion, spread like wildfire. Sociologist Ashis Nandy hit the headlines with his controversial remarks on corruption.

While Shabana Azmi was seen making her way through the crowds, Sharmila Tagore caught attention in her beautiful lemon saree and lovely neckpiece. “So, which one scores more - cricket or Bollywood?” quipped Tagore while addressing the audience during the launch of a book based on the life of her late husband and cricketer, Tiger Pataudi. She got her answer as the demure Rahul Dravid pulled every individual at the fest towards the Front Lawns in Diggi Palace. Such was the uproar caused by his fans that it appeared bigger than some of the test match crowds, claimed cricket writer, Suresh Menon.

The Chatterati

For those of us who wanted to take a chunk of the festival back home, there was a flurry of curio stalls everywhere. Penguin Books and Full Circle were selling bestsellers, classics, exclusive limited edition novels and an interesting selection of stationary. Also on offer were items like handicrafts, clothes, bags and accessories.

One could then grab a bite at the ample kiosks selling multi-cuisine food including French snacks, frozen yoghurts, Chinese delights and the Indian thali. The kulhad chai was a big hit, keeping everyone warm in the Rajasthan chill.

The Devil’s Advocate

But all was not hunky dory. Though I was impressed by the security arrangements (ticket checking, metal detectors, frisking, et al), the impression got crushed under the hoofs of a few cows trotting towards the palace past the security check (I can only wonder if they too were frisked!).

Overall a memorable experience, we recommend going on a weekday next year, to avoid the endless crowds from getting in the way of your literary journey.

Contributed by an enthusiastic team of Trippers: Aditi Jindal, Bhawna Grover, Ekesh Tewari, Ragini Mehra and Swati Talwar

Comments

Devika | on 30 January 2013

Loved the scoop on JLF!

Headed there for the first time and loved every bit of the experience. Walking from one session to another to listen to speakers spanning across ages and continents was just an amazing experience. My favorite was Mahasweta Devi. Her wit and free-spirit truly inspiring.