'Our fractured world has been embroiled in wars and hatred, and many sessions reflect these concerns.'
William Dalrymple's enthusiasm for the 18th Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF), starting January 30, is contagious as the historian highlights a stellar lineup, including Pulitzer Prize winners, Nobel Laureates, and leading cultural figures.
Among the speakers are Harvard literary historian Stephen Greenblatt, New Yorker book critic James Wood, food critic Matt Preston of MasterChef fame, and Venki Ramakrishnan, whose book, Why We Die, has been much talked about.
This year's theme, influenced by global tensions, focuses on conflict.
"Our fractured world has been embroiled in wars and hatred, and many sessions reflect these concerns," says Namita Gokhale, co-founder and co-director of JLF (with Dalrymple).
West Asia and Palestine will feature in discussions with experts like Pulitzer winner Nathan Thrall and West Asian historian Eugene Rogan.
The theme might be tension laden but the organisers say the festival remains committed to diverse perspectives, with over 300 speakers in 26 languages -- 13 international and 13 Indian -- offering what Gokhale calls a "polyphonic orchestra" of voices.
From emerging talents to established figures, the five-day programme balances the old and the new.
"We think about what audiences want to hear, as well as the new writers they want to discover," Gokhale adds, drawing attention to JLF's dual role as a platform for literary giants and a launchpad for fresh voices.
Other notable names include record producer Joe Boyd, who oversaw Bob Dylan's electric debut at Newport, historian Peter Godwin, and The Lost Pianos of Siberia author Sophy Roberts, who will also discuss her new book, A Training School for Elephants, which explores colonial ambitions through the journey of four elephants, from Pune to Africa's Great Lakes, in 1879.
From India, Anirudh Kanisetti, Amol Palekar, Geetanjali Shree, Imtiaz Ali, and Ira Mukhoty are among the many featured.
Sanjoy Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts, the festival's producers, emphasises JLF's strength in connecting Indian literature with the world.
Gokhale echoes this, saying, "The international speakers and audiences who get to listen firsthand to voices from India have over the years positively impacted the promotion of Indian writing, both in English and through translations."
But organising a festival of this scale has its challenges.
"Our festival is a live installation, with moving parts, and the human factor is paramount," Gokhale says.
JLF has evolved significantly since the idea was conceived in 2002.
Gokhale had helped the Indian Council for Cultural Relations curate the first international festival of Indian literature in Neemrana and Delhi, as a consequence of which Faith Singh (founder trustee of the Jaipur Virasat Foundation) and Dalrymple asked her to help curate a literary component to the annual heritage festival at Jaipur.
And in 2006, the Jaipur Literature Festival was born as a small literary add-on.
Roy recalls the earliest editions on a cold morning when they considered halving the chairs from 200 to 100, unsure if many would attend.
To their surprise, people came, drawn by India's rising prominence, eclectic programming, and the historic setting of Diggi Palace.
By 2011, Gokhale predicted that year would be their "Woodstock moment," and it was.
Dalrymple says the initial challenges included distributing posters at local bookshops and persuading people to attend.
The breakthrough came when celebrated authors like Salman Rushdie and Kiran Desai participated, drawing significant attention from the literary community.
By 2009, with the global success of Slumdog Millionaire, the atmosphere at JLF reached a fever pitch.
Dalrymple recounts a surreal moment on stage when news of the film's Oscar wins broke, with many involved in the festival that year also part of the film's Oscar journey.
Dalrymple emphasises that JLF remains a literary festival, not a political one.
While there have been challenges, such as the inability to invite Pakistani authors in recent years, he says the festival has not faced censorship or pressure.
The organisers, he adds, are careful to avoid inflammatory sessions, ensuring that difficult conversations can happen within a respectful framework.
Dalrymple says while his job of curating writers has become easier with the festival's growing reputation, securing sponsorship remains a challenge.
Indian businesses tend to favour events like polo matches, leaving arts festivals to fight for support, he adds.
The pandemic had forced the festival to pivot, and Brave New World, a virtual series, was launched.
"The sessions at JLF have enormous online viewership, and our digital archives are a valuable literary resource," Gokhale says. This time round, too, the sessions will be streamed online.
The 18th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival will be held from January 30 to February 3 at Hotel Clarks Amer, Jaipur.
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
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