JAIPUR LITERATURE FESTIVAL...

this is the 10th year since this festival started.

21 - 25th january 2015

DIGGI PALACE.

www.hoteldiggipalace.com

'from only 14 guests turning up in 2005, most of whom were tourists that took the wrong turn, in 2006 we had a big enough crowd to fill the DIGGI PALACE DURBAR HALL. about 400 hundred people came in 2007.

last year, we had nearly a quarter of a million footfalls, and the success of JAIPUR FESTIVAL has inspired a whole galaxy of nearly 60 other literary festivals, not only in INDIA, but PAKISTAN, BANGLADESH, SRI LANKA, BHUTAN, NEPAL and now BURMA.

we are as surprised as we are proud of this'

quote from this year's festival book.

i also see that there is going to be a festival in 

BOULDER, COLORADO.

18-20TH SEPTEMBER 2015.

each morning, 9.30 am - 10.00 am on the FRONT LAWN was music.

this is 

MALINI AWASTHI.

she is a folk singer  who has placed the folk music of AWADH & BERNARAS on the country's cultural radar. 

her hot pink silk sari was beautiful.

trimmed in gold braid.

my FAVOURITE BAND.

heard them last year. 

SONAM KAIRA & THE SUFI GOSPEL PROJECT.

they blend together the many voices of language, religion and music to create one voice.

THE VOICE OF FAITH

their sound is fresh and unique .

RASHMI AGARWEL 

is a versatile indian singer who has carved out a niche for herself singing SUFI & GHAZAL singing. 

she is accompanied by her daughter.

meet sundit,

she launched her line of homewares, and i was her first customer. 

hence the photo.

she is a really lovely lady, i went back each morning to see what she was promoting that day.

i am going to see her shop this week, i hope to be pleasantly surprised.

2 days worth of buying books.

another 2 days.

each festival i am waiting for just 1 book to find me.

this year it is 

'SOPHIA, princess,suffragette,revolutionary'

by

ANITA ANAND.

it is a true story of the daughter of the MAHARAJAH DULEEP SINGH.

this is one of the open air venues.

GOOGLE MUGHAL TENT.

art in the grounds

this years logo

part of the exterior of the DURBAR HALL.

part of the interior of the DURBAR HALL.

crystal chandelier.

painted murals on the arches.

old DIGGI FAMILY photos.

another view

map of the grounds

part of the entrance. 

the MINI was parked near the fountain area, and it is decorated with photos of the authors.

this is CHAR BAGH area.

some pretty covered books of the PENGUIN BOOKS stand.

one part of the eating area.

india is not all DAL & RICE.

early morning takings.

these young men are from NAGALAND.

i particularly liked the shape of his guitar.

this is how they show what the session is about.

ALI COBBY ECKERMANN 

is an australian aboriginal.

i bought her book 'TOO AFRAID TO CRY'

this is generally how the stage is set up. 

with the authors and then there is a person who starts the CONVERSATION .

in this picture it is FLORENCE NOIVELLE. on the right.

this is 

LIONEL FOGARTY.

he was a very vocal aboriginal. very critical of the australian government.

paper lights in the trees, in my favourite eating  place. 

wall decoration.

this is part of an article in the TIMES OF INDIA newspaper.

THINGS TO REMEMBER TO MAKE YOU A CONFIDENT LIT - FESTER. 

1. IT'S THE PERFORMANCE, STUPID.

for those of you who've encountered a writer who has captivated you with his talk on stage, do realise that the same man could be deeply boring or incomprehensible when you encounter him again through his books.

the opposite can also be true,

a stunningly boring man mumbling from the podium can jolly well turn out to have written the next best thing after that chetan chap.

remember, there are 4 kinds of writers at lit festivals.

good writers - bad performers,

bad writers - good performers.

good writers - good performers.

bad writers - bad performers.

check out the first 3 minutes and stick to the good performers. 

2. CARRY A PEN, AND IF POSSIBLE A BOOK.

if you want signed autographed copies of the writers book, you need to purchase before you listen to them. 

3. NO QUESTIONS ARE INANE.

there was a time when the person who asked the 4 minute question, that described their life would get the reply 'NO' 

now days the authors are drilled to engage in all questions.

4. BE SEEN.

if it was really only about listening to authors and reading their works, you'd be youtubing and curling up with the books at home.

the whole point of conducting a constant 5 day swirling motion  among people who look, smell,and sound like they ooze literature .

and if your face, by the stroke of luck comes up on the one of the big screens, IMMEDIATELY stop digging your nose and look intensely interested. 

i went every day.

loved each day.

discovered new authors.

talked to people.

bought books.

bought textiles.

HAD A GREAT TIME. 

and the festival is

FREE.