Dalrymple, Jeet Thayil, Shourie to attend Bangalore Lit Fest

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Bangalore Literature Festival, Bengaluru city’s flagship literary event, returns this weekend at the breezy green lawns of Hotel LaLiT Ashok. The two-day event will feature a host of distinguished authors and speakers including historian William Dalrymple, acclaimed author and poet Jerry Pinto, acclaimed poet and novelist Jeet Thayil, researcher and journalist Akshaya Mukul, author-politician Arun Shourie, author/playwright Cyrus Mistry, and screenwriter/children’s writer Honey Irani.

As in the past, this year’s the festival will also see authors, thought leaders, and unique performances. The highlights include sessions on travel in the new world and poetry, along with conversations on literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, feminism, crime, films, memoirs, poetry, and a lot more.

Another highlight of the 11th Edition of the Bangalore Literature Festival is the children’s programming ‘Children|Literature|Fun - (C|L|F)’ that includes two forums - an activity stage and a literary stage, on both days of the Festival and includes writing workshops, illustration, storytelling, creative games, music performances, all in a carnival atmosphere.

The Bangalore Literature Festival and Atta Galatta, the city-based bookstore and hub for literary events, will also give out the Atta Galatta–Bangalore Literature Festival Book Prize to honour the best of English fiction and non-fiction and Kannada writing.

Festival Director Shinie Antony says, “It is time to indulge our creative and intellectual sides. Our city is at its flamboyant best this time of the year - weather, fauna, and vibe. This is an auspicious moment to seduce the city with words and song.”

The Festival will be anchored by the city’s muchloved radio personalities Melodee Austin and Sriram Sullia and will also see an evening of Sufi singing and the poetry of Kabir and Bulleh Shah, with the inimitable Mukhtiyar Ali and his group.

Where: Hotel Lalit Ashok, Kumara Krupa High Grounds

When: Dec 3-4, 10 am onwards

More info: www. bangaloreliterature festival.org