Jaipur lit fest turns new page, fog hides some stars

JAIPUR - The Jaipur literature festival took off to packed, eager audiences at a royal palace here Thursday, boasting of over 200 writers, among them Dalit authors and stars on the international literary firmament - but a thick fog in Delhi threw some reputed guests off its trail on day one.

Nobel prize wining author Wole Soyinka, the Queen of Bhutan and actress Shabana Azmi were among those who could not make it on time to Diggi Palace, the venue for the fifth DSC Jaipur Literature Festival that is being held in its biggest avatar so far Jan 21-25.

But for those who did, it was an affair to remember. It began with noted poet and scholar, Lahore-born Arvind Krishna Malhotra, reading out from an anthology, “Time and Space”, spanning 2,500 years of Indian poetry.

From an 8th century Prakrit version of a love poem, he went on to poems by contemporary Marathi poet Arun Balkrishna Kolatkar, known for his seminal verse “Jejuri”.

Malhotra’s rendition of ancient Prakrit verses and Kolatkar’s translations of Kabir’s Bhakti verses set the tenor of the festival - resurrection of ‘bhasa’ or indigenous and ancient Indian literature.

It was followed by a reading by writer-lyricist-filmmaker Gulzar of one his own poems, ‘Kitab’ - on a clash between books and computers.

At 10 a.m., as the sun broke out through the early morning mist in Jaipur, writer William Dalrymple, one of the organisers, apologised for the delay in international flights that held up several foreign writers and caused last-minute changes in reading sessions.

Soyinka and the Queen of Bhutan, who was scheduled to address sessions in the morning, failed to make it to the venue on time because of the delays, he said.

Actress Shabana Azmi was supposed to attend the inaugural day. But her flight to Jaipur from Delhi was cancelled due to a thick fog enveloping the national capital.

Dalrymple also said there were visa procurement snags that forced writers like Henry Louis Gates Jr and Andrew Lycett to cancel their visits.

By lunch-time, the venue was crowded with schoolchildren and students from local colleges and universities who are being encouraged to interact with the writers in open house reading and question-answer sessions.

Those present were taken on a walk down memory lane by Dalrymple in the Durbar Hall of the palace.

“In 2006, when we had conceived the festival as an adjunct to the Jaipur Virasat International Festival, only six people had turned up. The cast included 18 Indian authors and only one international author, Hari Kunzru, who was stopped over in Jaipur en route to New Zealand to meet his girlfriend!” Dalrymple said.

Since then, “a miracle happened and the festival found willing sponsors”.

“Last year, we managed to get 147 authors, and this year the list includes 220 authors,” Dalrymple said.

The festival this time has stars like Soyinka, Hanif Kureishi, Vikram Chandra, Amit Chaudhuri, Roddy Doyle and Anne Enright. Dalit authors such as Kancha Illaiah, Bama and O.P. Valmiki will also be present.

While the focus last year was on Pakistan, this year the focus is on Dalit literature, “bhasa or indigenous writing and international books that made news”, Dalrymple said.

“We have had our share of controversies with our spotlight on the reawakening of Pakistan in 2009. But the presence of authors like Kamila Shamsie, Mohsin Hamid and Daniyal Moinuddin on the ground explaining the situation in the country helped impart a better perspective. The reaction to the authors from Pakistan was amazing.

“This year, we plan to do an encore with Dalit writers,” Dalrymple said.

Literature and music came together in a fusion of genres as foreign guests tried their hands at indigenous percussion instruments from Rajasthan. Folk musicians took the stage at the open lawns of the venue and played throughout the day till late evening.

Faith Singh of the Jaipur Virasat Foundation said: “In Rajasthan, we have an extraordinary culture. The festival has played an important role in understanding the value of our heritage. It has become a jewel in the crown.”