Guwahati: They say that reading and writing are serious activities that rarely attract large crowds, especially in an era when the internet has caused everyone to become increasingly distracted from such practices.
Crowds should not be seen as an indicator of the success of a programme, especially one that is as somber and serious as a literature festival. Reading and writing may have made a comeback in Shillong.
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The first day of the ‘4th Shillong Literary Festival’ in Meghalaya attracted over 3,500 people, with numbers continuing to rise, as they gathered to listen to prominent writers and poets from across the country.
The main seating area, which accommodates only about 200 people, was packed throughout the day, with the audience spilling over onto the nearby banks to listen in rapture to the various conversations that continued.
The main attraction of the day was the presence of renowned authors, including Vikram Seth, Shobhaa De, Jerry Pinto and local talent Kynpham N Nongkynrih, along with several other distinguished writers.
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The festival, which was inaugurated on Monday morning by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, aims to make a mark on the entire Northeast and in the coming days, across the country.
The objective of the festival is to provide a platform for emerging writers and poets to interact with one another, as well as with internationally recognised writers, in order to enhance their skills.
More than 20 writers from the state attended on the first day, and the number is expected to increase in the coming days as word spreads.
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The first programme of the day began with an introduction to his book by Kynpham, who provided an in-depth discussion of its meaning. His book – The Distaste of the Earth – weaves a tale set in an ancient world of Khasi kings and queens, warriors and plunderers, while chronicling the sorrows of a young man trapped in that world.
Reclusive author and Padma Shri awardee Vikram Seth engaged in a conversation with renowned journalist and author from West Bengal Malavika Banerjee about his literary journey, and the reasons behind his decision to attend the literature fest in Shillong, despite typically avoiding such events.
Janice Pariat, a well-known journalist, engaged in a conversation with noted author Jerry Pinto about his book ‘The Education of Yuri,’ which tells the story of an orphan. Excerpts from the book were also read to the audience that had gathered.
Shobhaa De was the last speaker on stage, where she conversed with Jerry about her journey as a writer. She encouraged the audience to continue writing and also discussed the importance of fair pay for writers.
All sessions during the lit fest were interactive, with enthusiastic participants asking writers and poets for clarification or more in-depth insights on various topics. The authors and poets, of course, were more than willing to share their views.
The evening concluded with a musical night as part of the Meghalaya Grassroots Musical Programme.