The Jaipur Literature Festival 2011 is here. Its an annual festival that has been taking place in the capital of Rajasthan since 2006 and happens to be the largest festival of its kind in the whole of Asia ( I wonder if China would catch us soon here as well).
The festival happening in itself is great news, but what caught my attention is the presence of Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk. I am a die-hard Pamuk and his presence in India is an amazing news. Just his presence is enough to make me visit Jaipur this weekend, but then there is also Salman Rushdie, Vikram Seth, Ian McEvan and Kiran Desai. What an absolutely irresistible ensemble! It would be fantastic to hear these literary greats and know about their future plans, their upcoming books, their inspirations and so on. All of these and more have inspired me over the years, not just about reading, but life itself. That makes Jaipur a sacred city to me right now!
Even if I do not visit the festival, I would certainly follow it regularly online and perhaps update the other fans of books here. But if you are in Jaipur, do visit the festival, the entry for which is free, and leave a comment here as well about your experience.
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| Image Source - www.spitalfieldslife.com Photograph of Orhan Pamuk by Jerry Bauer |
Even if I do not visit the festival, I would certainly follow it regularly online and perhaps update the other fans of books here. But if you are in Jaipur, do visit the festival, the entry for which is free, and leave a comment here as well about your experience.
I have heard a lot of Jaipur fest. Sadly couldn't make a visit!
ReplyDeleteAnd once I had he chance to start off Pamuk autobiography. But couldnt go beyond the first few pages
I am glad that you too like Pamuk! What happened to the biography manuscript?
ReplyDeleteSid, it would have been dream come true to be there at Jaipur right now.
ReplyDeleteIt is so much to be at the right place, at the right time.
I'm a huge fan of Pamuk, Rushdie and Vikram Seth too. I interviewed Rushdie by chance, once, when I saw him sitting next to me at a lecture and rushed out with him when he made his escape. :-) Sadly, I've not been to any of the Jaipur Literary festivals yet. One day, I hope, I'll get to go as a writer!
ReplyDelete@Muzayun: You are so right. Though Jaipur was not the place for me this weekend, I should have been somewhere else :(
ReplyDelete@Nandini: Great to know that Nandini, just after school I used to immediately eat up anything written by Rushdie! I am actually quite jealous that you could have a word with him :)
ReplyDeleteAnd all my best wishes for visiting the Jaipur Literary festival as a writer, and I hope that happens soon :)
Thanks, Siddhartha. But it won't happen any time soon. I was taking a look at some of your writing. Very evocative. I hope you intend to make a career of it too. :-)
ReplyDeleteMeeting Rushdie was a freaky stroke of luck! And I happened to have a tape recorder with me because I was supposed to interview someone else after the event!
Hahaha...thanks but its unlikely I will do much more than the writing I currently do :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I must add, you were very lucky that day!
Since I got back from India, I've been reading about the Jaipur Literature Festival all over the web. I missed for less than two weeks!
ReplyDeleteHmmm...that's sad. And I missed it though I was just a night journey away...quite a loss...
ReplyDelete