JLF starts on a high note

Jaipur: “Every year it is only getting bigger, and they say they cannot do it anymore since the Diggi Palace is bursting at its seams. But I am happy the way it has shaped up and expect it to grow more,” said Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, during the inauguration of the biggest literature festival of India, Zee Jaipur Literature Festival 2016.

The place was still feverishly trying to wrap up the preparations late Wednesday evening. Despite the petition contesting the venue’s arrangement for the increasing crowd that was promptly stayed, as the Rajasthan High Court allowed it to proceed as per the schedule after seeking explanation from the government.

The festival took off to a glittering start as the festival producer Sanjoy Roy, directors Namita Gokhale and William Dalrymple welcomed the guests. Reminiscing her childhood days when she would be reading with a torch under her sheets, the Chief Minister called the festival as much a personal desire to meet the illustrious writers who have inspired her from around the world as it is for Jaipur.

“We have re-branded Jaipur tourism, and to go with it, we have made our campaign more quirky, entertaining and fun. Jaipur Literature Festival not only brings the authors but a whole lot of others trailing behind and we get an opportunity to showcase our Jaipur to them,” she shared.

Celebrated Canadian poet, novelist, Booker prize winner Margaret Atwood gave a keynote address that was witty, inspiring and engaging. “I refuse to believe that reading is on a wane. Today with newer platforms available around the world, people are reading like never before in history.

Here, when I see such a huge audience - for me - this is the India and they are our readers. I am happy that today this is one of the top festivals of the world. When we authors come to festivals like these, it is to be read more, interpreted and re-interpreted and this keeps our books alive.”

Ruskin Bond, who was in conversation with his fans belonging to every age possible, held one of the first sessions at JLF. He had readers eating out of his hand, hanging onto every word he said. On the one hand he advised the young fans not to run away from school, but rather make the teachers run away; on the other,

he related the short but the most telling influence that his father had on him – how a stamp collector that he was, would relate stories about different countries, and that his father’s conversations were the first influence on him as a writer.

More sessions, celebrated authors, innumerable sessions, thousands of book lovers congregated at one place just for the sheer love for books, JLF is poised to live up to its expectations.