Looking for literary festivals in 2018? Here’s the list. (Source: File Photo)
Opening new doors of opportunities, the calendar has turned over to a new year with a fresh set of events. This year, much like the past years, will be jam-packed with soirees and travel escapades and it is time to plan how to spend your weekends.
Do you love to read? Are you a writer and need some inspiration? If hiding your face behind a book and getting indulged in a deep conversation with authors is your idea of a perfect gateway, then take out your pen and make notes for the literary festivals you can visit this year. From India to neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, there are far too many options you can choose from.
Jaipur Literary Festival
Started in 2006, Jaipur Literary Festival (JLF) is hailed as one of the world’s largest free event of its kind. and has grown exponentially with each year. Several celebrated and acclaimed authors and speakers like Salman Rushdie, Ian McEwan, Orhan Pamuk among others have graced the event with their presence in the past. The Diggi Palace Hotel in Jaipur serves as the main venue for the festival, while parallel sessions are also held in the Hall of Audience. The event is scheduled to take place from January 24 and will continue till January 29. This year, the list of speakers include Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, Anthony Horowitz among others.
Kolkata Literary Festival
Held in the historic premise of Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata Literary Festival takes place during January every year. Started in the year 2014, the festival has witnessed the presence of several celebrated authors and actors. It will take place from January 22 till January 27 and authors like Anita Desai, and Paul Beatty will grace the event.
Hyderabad Literary Festival
A three-day event, Hyderabad literary festival (HLF) has emerged as one of the most important cultural events in the city. Each year, the event has a guest nation and focuses on an Indian language. The three-day event is replete with discussions with authors, workshops and cultural events. It will take place from January 12 and will go on till January 14. The speakers include Rajdeep Sardesai, Sanjna Kapoor among others.
Tata literature Live Mumbai
Mumbai Literary Fest, that just concluded its eighth edition last year, includes an impressive list of conversations, panel discussions, performances, book launches, workshops and debates. Like every year, a terrific array of writers were lined up in 2017 that took place from November 16 till November 19.
Lucknow Literary Festival
Hailed as the literary festival conceptualised and organised by youth, Lucknow Literary Festival takes place in November and has an eclectic array of speakers. It intends to promote and preserve the culture of the city.
Bangalore Literary Festival
Generally held during October, Bangalore Literary Festival celebrates the city’s creative spirit and its literary diversity. It also serves as a confluence point for the best minds in the world of literature within and outside India to meet and converse.
Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival
Appejay Kolkata Literary Festival is considered as India’s only literary festival that has been created by a bookstore. The festival is reflective of the vibrancy and cultural eclecticism that Kolkata is known for. The event unfolds in several heritage sites in the city and in Oxford Bookstore. It takes place during January every year and this year it will be held from January 11-14.
Goa Arts and Literature Festival
Goa Arts and Literature Festival (GALF), which started in 2010, was founded with the objective to withheld and celebrate the ‘margins’. This has led to focusing on literature from states like North-East and Kashmir, and also from neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Nepal. It just concluded in December last year and had personalities like Supriya Nair, Wendell Rodricks among others as speakers.
Jashn-e-Rekhta
The three-day literary event celebrates the beauty and versatility of Urdu. The event takes place in the capital and unfolds with discussions and competitions among fellow poets. Last year, it took place from December 8 to December 10 at Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
Kerala Literary Festival
The four-day literary festival is an annual event that is held in Kozhikode, Kerala. Started in 2016, the festival includes debates, discussions and even cookery shows. It will be held from February 8 till February 11 this year.
Bookaroo Children’s Literature Festival
Bookaro children’s literary festival, often considered as the first literary festival for children entered its tenth edition last year. Over 60 award-winning writers, poets, illustrators and storytellers from 18 countires had assembled at Children’s Park near India Gate and delighted the young bookworms. It took place from November 25 to November 26.
The Karachi Literary Festival
Started in the year 2010, The Karachi Literary Festival is an open to all event. It features discussions, book launches, film screenings, book reading sessions. In 2017 it was held in London, a first of kind location outside Pakistan. The event will take place from February 9 to February 11 in Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi.
Dhaka Literary Festival
The Dhaka Literary Festival marked its seventh edition last year and was held in Bangla Academy. The list of speakers included Adonis, Ben Okri, Tilda Swinton, Lionel Shriver, Nabaneeta Dev Sen, William Dalrymple, Esther Freud, Charles Glass, Syed Manzoorul Islam among others. It generally takes place in the month of November.
Galle Literary Festival – January 24-28 (Sri Lanka)
An international literary festival, Galle Lit Fest is held in Sri Lanka every year. The festival keeps increasing its scale every year. It was founded in 2005 by Anglo-Australian hotelier Geoffrey Dobbs, and is scheduled to take place from January 24 to January 28 this year. The list of speakers include Amit Chaudhari, French author Maylis De Kerangal among others.
So, where are you planning to head to?
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