Amidst an overwhelming setting, against the chilly backdrop of the ‘Pink City’, the Jaipur Literature Festival 2017 kicked off with book lovers and literary heavyweights participating in the 5-day mega-literary event of the country. This year, the fest is based on the theme ‘The Freedom to Dream: India at 70’. As Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje inaugurated JLF 2017, within just a few hours, the fest kicked off with veteran icons like Gulzar, Sadhguru and Anne Waldman appearing for the interactive sessions on the first day.
As we made our way through dense crowds, we saw students, nerds and book fans trotting around the venue. There were tonnes of people near the writer’s lounge and countless others were getting their registrations done for various days.
In case you missed the thrill, here’s a list of JLF 2017 events that took place yesterday.
5 Hottest Events of JLF 2017: Day 1
- Gulzar’s Mind-blowing Poetry got the Ball Rolling for the fest.
Gulzar, who has given us the classical songs of Bollywood, addressed a throng of aspiring writers yesterday. He inspired the writers to question oneself as to why they’re writing. ‘The collective conscience of the society can’t be fooled’, said Gulzar. Therefore, it’s essential to write something that will influence the masses.
He shed light on the diversity of Indian languages and requested the organisers to include regional poetry, the next time. He also thanked the fest organisers for ‘keeping the old young’ and ‘helping the young grow’. Overall, it was an informative experience for budding authors.
- Anne Waldman’s Global Protest
Famous poem ‘Anthropocene Blue’ was passionately recited by the world-famous American poet Anne Waldman. The poem celebrated the spirit of fast-changing scenario around us and reflects that nothing remains untouched in today’s scenario. Waldman’s keynote address began with the revolutionary poet appealing her friends to protest against the impending inauguration ceremony for Donald Trump.
Recalling the teachings of Theodor Adorno, a German Philosopher she urged her listeners to cherish beauty and creativity in times of cruelty. Highlighting the significance of ‘language’ in our everyday life, Waldman said that ‘Language shouldn’t be endangered’.
- Sadhguru’s Stand on Jallikattu
Well, this came as a surprise for Sadhguru fans who were hoping for the mystic to divulge details regarding his book ‘Inner Engineering: Complete Programme for Inner Well Being’. Instead, he used the global platform to express his views regarding the Jallikattu protests plaguing the Marina Beach in Tamil Nadu.
Jaggi firmly believes that since the rural villages of Tamil Nadu are devoid of large stadiums and theatres, Jallikattu serves as a ritual sport for the youth that inculcates the thrill of adventure. He described it as a sport that requires practice, skills and extreme physical fitness. Having said so, he asked his fans to support Tamil Nadu in this move.
- Paul Beatty’s ‘Art of Being Politically Incorrect’
The author of ‘Sellout’, Paul Beatty is the first American to have won the Man Booker Prize. The incredible writer is known for his political satire that relays the tale of a boy, who was raised by a single parent. The book beautifully captures the controversial incidents in his life.
At JLF, Beatty spoke about the US presidential polls, political correctness and the sense to set things right. He was open and informal with the audience.
- Pratap Bhanu Mehta’s Interpretation of Indian Constitution
JLF organisers were sly to save the best for the last. The last session of the day was dedicated to the Indian constitution, moderated by political scientist Pratap Bhanu Mehta. Other participants in the discussions include Madhav Khosla, Ashok Desai and Chintan Chandrachud.
The veteran analysts discussed the length and significance of the constitution and its relevance to contemporary society. He stressed on the fact that our constitution is diverse and can’t be guarded by a single person. They reminded the public that “Political consensus is required to make the civil code a reality” and that “One shouldn’t expect the code to fix all differences existing in the society”.
So, this is how the first day of JLF 2017 ended. There are plenty of things on literary odyssey ahead!
