LitFests are emerging not only as a space of discussion and discourse but also as literary carnivals.
Neo- liberal economy introduced in the decade of 90s brought a drastic change in socio-cultural and political textures of India. However, it was introduced by during the prime ministership of PV Narshimha Rao but these reforms implemented by Narendra Modi and his government more effectively. The socio-cultures emerged through neo-liberal reforms in India brought in various changes in all spheres of life -also in the realms of cultures and literature. These transformations of literary cultures of India in all its languages evolved new ways of engagements and new forms of organizing themselves. The entry of digital space in literary communications brought big changes in its forms and contents. The forms of literary addas, goshthies and literary conferences have also acquired new forms. A new form of literary interaction emerged in literary culture of India-that is coming of lit fests (literary festivals). Earlier literature poets, writers, story writers mostly used to participate in literary conferences organized by literary organizations- governmental or non-governmental.
There was no culture of LitFests in India before the decade of 90s.It started with the Jaipur Literature Festival in India, which is known as the largest literature festival on the earth. As we know it started in 2006 by eminent literature Namita Gokhale, author William Dalrymple and reputed entrepreneur of art and literature Sanjay K. Roy who organized LitFest in more than 40 cities of the world. Inspired by the Jaipur literature festival, a LitFest culture grown aggressively in India. The lit fests are being organized now in various parts of India ranging from cosmopolitan to provincial and district towns.
Various corporates and media channels also started organizing lit fests such as Sahitya Aaj tak, Dainik jagran LitFest and ZEE news etc. Various media channels like News X also included panel discussion on literary and cultural books in their idea festivals. Sometimes these lit fests are being used for enhancing the identity of the region and towns and also to encourage literary tourism in the concerned region. The lite fest like Kalinga festival and Bundel Khand festivals, Banaras LitFest etc are also reflecting a massage of enhancing regional and linguistic identities. The Kendriya sahitya akademi also organizes a huge literature festival named Unmesha . They organize another huge gathering in March on the time of its award ceremony. It is interesting to see nowadays literary entrepreneurs of all the ideologies left, right, Ambedkerites are organizing lit fests now, in various cities of India in which they mostly invite authors, writers, actors, musicians belonging to their own ideologies. Through these lit fests a new literary sphere has emerged in India which is reshaping the domain of literary communication here.
Recently the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) was organized in Jaipur, Rajsthan on the theme ‘Story Unites’. Literature from all over the world participated in it and discussed various themes, books, Arts, and cultures. In JLF-24, a release of an impressive book on Art curated and written by Kalpana Pandey and supported by Taxila foundation created an in-depth discussion on the life universe of Arta in India. The JLF catered on the one hand on world literature and also included various Indian languages such as tribal languages of various regions. In this season of JLF, they made ‘story unites’ as central theme. The writers, poets, story writers representing various social voices were present in JLF this year and participated in poetry recitation, story readings and panel discussion sessions.
With literature JLF also gives space for books on political discourses, theories, literary and cultural criticisms, memoires, biographies etc. They evolve themes and organize festivals on these socially, politically and culturally relevant themes. This year there was an interesting session-‘Aadivani’ based on oral traditions in which we heard Toda oral traditions, banjara oral traditions and oral traditions of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. JLF creates very impressive synergies between discourses and creative expressions. I find a sense of festivity and carnival in the seasons of JLF.
Recently another LitFest-Hyderabad literature festival was organized centered on endangered languages. The special focus of Hyderabad LitFest was Odiya literature this year in which many Odiya writers such as Sahitya Academy awarded novelist Paromita Tripathi and poet Bishnu Mohapatra participated.
To conclude, I can say, in neo-liberal time literature has reinvented its another form of literary expression with festivity that is LitFest in India. These literature festivals are emerging not only space of discussion and discourse but also as literary carnivals with synergy of words, music, visuals and various knowledge products and commodities. The market, entrepreneurs, corporates, media channels, and creative leaders are working together in making such literary and cultural space.