They say, Love is in the air. Well, I don’t know about that, but here past week, in our beloved pink city, ‘Words, latest fashion trends and etiquettes were truly in air’.
And that is what defines, yet another edition of a literary extravaganza, an avid reader’s Mecca…commonly known as Jaipur Literary Fest (JLF).
The stage was set at Diggi Palace, a serene palace cum resort, in the heart of pink city, to play host to some of the most esteemed and coveted literati’s of the world. Voracious readers and aspiring writers from all over the world have flown in to meet their favourite authors. The audience was a cocktail of political leaders, actors, blue blood people and of course the ‘commoners’.
From the chat show queen (Oprah Winfrey) to the celebrity British evolutionary biologist (Richard Dwakins), from the veteran (Gulzar) to the consummate lyricist (Javed Akhtar), from the man who made Indians read (Chetan Bhagat) to the man whose words are often misinterpreted (Shashi Tharoor), the JLF had them all.
The five day fest witnessed more than hundred sessions, which included conversations with authors, debates and new book releases. People flocked in like herd, to hear Oprah in conversation with Barkha Dutt, they were mesmerized by poetry of Gulzar, Chakradhar, Prasoon and Sibbal, they were astound and amused at the witty remarks of Suhel Seth and appreciated the debate on ‘Salman Rushdie’s, ban form the festival’.
Besides the literary event, the venue played host to many peculiarities of the human nature. If you think that literary fests are filled with people who have long silver flocks, are grey bearded, wore glaring spectacles and have khadi as their attire…then probably my friend you haven’t been here.
Welcome, to the new age of literati’s. The writers here don’t ‘pen down their thoughts’, well they actually dictate it to their ‘ipad’, they don’t recite their creations from piece of paper; instead they do it from their expensive smart phones. The readers here don’t wear khadi, rather they are impeccably dressed in their linen suits with their Jimmy Choo shoes staring right into observers eyes. Women here are often spotted with Gucci shades and Louis Vuitton handbags, which goes in sync with their designer dresses.
Yes you got it right, beside being a literary event it is also a ‘Fashion Fiesta’. If you have no idea about the latest trends in fashion, just be here and you’ll know, what’s ‘in vogue’. It’s a sin to take out your Nokia (until it’s a ‘Lumia’) here because everybody (from teenagers to the octogenarians) are flaunting their Blackberries and iPhones.
Here, modesty and suaveness, are in the air. Everyone seems to be over-polite and generous. Its seems like a hideous crime, if you have unintentionally disturbed someone or occupied his/her place. Words like excuse me, please, thank you, sorry, I hope you don’t mind, may I, etc. are used profoundly and almost every sentence either begin or end with them. It’s a complete show-off, of elegance and sophistication, in the name of courtesy.
Seriously, it is the beauty and aura of this place, that compels us to be a socialite.
But there are still some flaws. Smoking and liquor is permitted openly at such a place, in the name of ‘boosting the tourism’. Adolescents who come here to feast their minds with good thoughts, can easily be spotted in the corners trying their ‘first smoke’ in order to look chic.
People who are accompanied by their entourage, are the ones who often disturbs the spectators, because they believe that they are privileged and should be treated according to their will.
Protest by members of Muslim community, at the venue, against Salman Rushdie was very disheartening. It’s a paradox, that in a fest which celebrates ‘freedom of expression’; people of a certain community, disgrace a renowned figure publicly and even condemn his visit to the venue.
Well amid all the ruckus over Rushdie’s visit, JLF was once again successful in putting up a spectacular, splendid and an awe-inspiring show.
As the organisers claim (and I too believe), it is certainly, “The best literature festival on Earth”.
