Lit Fest picks apt theme — Freedom to Dream

Nonika Singh

When, what is often hailed as the biggest literary show in the world, turns 10, you can only expect the organisers to pull out all stops. Not surprising, Zee Jaipur Literature Festival, that begins on January 19, is ready to welcome Man Booker awardees, Pulitzer winners and celebrity authors. The five-day literary extravaganza, that takes pride in being inclusive, will be represented in 30 languages.

The theme, “Freedom to Dream: India @ 70”, is in consonance with the the disruptive times that we live in. Other themes include “The Magna Carta”, “Translation and World Literature, “Women and Marginalised Voices,” Sanskrit and “Colonialism and the Legacy of the Raj.”

The festival, that started with 16 attendees, has grown in both scale and representation, playing host to nearly 1,300 authors, says William Dalrymple, writer and co-director of the festival. Among the literary luminaries who will be gracing the festival is Paul Beatty. The first American to win Man Booker hip-hop poet and novelist Beatty, known for his savage wit, will dwell on comedy and controversy, racism and history, poetry and fiction. Two-time Academy Award nominee Sir David Hare marks his debut too. Man Booker awardee Alan Hollinghurst, author of five novels, including “The Swimming-Pool Library” and “The Line of Beauty”, and Mei Fong, Pulitzer winner Malaysian journalist, are some of the names to look out for. The festival will also feature authors in Indian regional languages, including the popular Volga in Telugu, S Bhyrappa and Vivek Shanbhag in Kannada, Kaajal Oza Vaidya in Gujarati, CP Deval and Hari Ram Meena in Rajasthani and Kanak Dixit and Binod Chaudhary in Nepali.

If debates and discussions have been the hallmark of the festival, controversy too has been close behind. In 2012, Salman Rushdie’s exclusion ignited a debate. This year a stink has been raised over the inclusion of RSS ideologues Manmohan Vaidya and Dattatreya as speakers. The organisers, however, defend their choice. Their alibi is variety of thought. Primarily a literary event that showcases Indian writing, the festival goes beyond the written word. In keeping with its tradition, musical performance will mark the inauguration. Shillong Chamber Choir will set the ball rolling.