Not into books? Jaipur lit fest still a blast (Letter from Jaipur)

JAIPUR - Here are four good reasons to show up at the Jaipur Literature Festival: literati, glitterati, prettyrati and fourth.hmmmthats a tough oneoh yes, books of course!

The moment you enter the gates of Diggi Palace, the venue of the festival from Jan 21-25, walk over to the registration desk and officially let the party begin. But first you will be slotted.

Category 1. Are you a writer and do you ask for an authors badge? You wish you could, but the charming lady at the registration desk will verify your name at least three times and will want to know what you have written.

Category 2. Are you from the media? Yes, in fact you are, but you have left your colleague to do all the hard work while you are here on vacation. So you pass.

Category 3. Are you a delegate? You wish you were, if only for the free lunches - which otherwise cost Rs.500, but once again you pass.

Category 4. The only badge left is that of a visitor. In other words, you can wander just about anywhere and meet anyone you want to, but be sure with that tag around your neck, you are not about to be mistaken for anyone important. In short, thats your badge.

Literature may or may not have been your subject in college, but even with your limited knowledge and experience, you will realise that a lot of names here ring a bell, some very, very loudly. Sample some of the attending authors - Gulzar, Mark Tully, Prasoon Joshi, Lord Meghnad Desai, Ali Sethi and Alexander McCall Smith.

The list goes on. And the author sessions begin. The famous authors are mobbed for autographs, the not so famous ones have to make an effort and charm the audience and then they too are mobbed.

Suddenly there is a feeling in the air that a very important author has descended on the scene. Surely a Nobel Laureate? But when you find him mobbed more than most other authors put together, you learn an important lesson - awards do not necessarily get you public adulation. The author in question was involved in an idiotic controversy not so long ago.

The place makes you wonder whether you will ever have fans of your own, and then suddenly, four college girls approach you. But they are not seeking your autograph. They have been without food since morning and want to know how much they must pay for a meal. You know they won’t be able to afford it and the condition of your wallet does not permit such generosity. But an idea strikes you.

The dinner is free for you students. If anyone asks, tell them my name, you tell the girls.

They gratefully ask who you are? You tell them the name of the owner of the hotel.The students thank you. Congratulations, youve just won your first fans.

Now, we come to the glitterati.

As the front lawn of Diggi Palace begins to swell with crowds swaying to fabulous live Baul music, you begin to notice that you are standing in the company of stars.

There is a Bollywood veteran, whose wife recently did a tell-all. He looks as serious as he does in the movies. You move away.

Then there is another actor, who often appears in Hinglish movies. Some students approach him for a picture. Come back after half-an-hour. Let me put on my make-up, I hear him tell them.

You chance upon a former lady chief minister. Shes charming, chatty and at ease with thousands of people around her. The fact that she is able to attend the literary festival and have a good time is probably one of the few privileges of not being in power.

Stars can usually be observed only from a distance, right? Wrong.

You suddenly find a veteran and a powerhouse of theatre and cinema standing before your table, looking directly at you. Is that newspaper yours? he asks about the daily lying at my table.

Its now yours sir, you tell him, handing the paper. As he begins to walk away, you muster some courage and ask if he would like to join you at your table. Does he say yes? Hhhmmmm

Now that brings us to the third reason for being at the fest - prettyrati, or simply put beautiful women.

You look around and you look around a little more. And then finally your eyes come to rest. You go up and say, “Hello”. She says, “Hello”. There is a potential story there.

It is certainly books and more at the Jaipur lit fest!

(Ajay Khullar can be contacted at ajay.k@ians.in)