The sudden cold wave across North India may have been an appropriate metaphor when Nayantara Sahgal chose to speak on climate change in literature. Of course, when the venue is the Jaipur Literature Festival (held from 23 to 27 January 2008) the predictions are more about climate than weather and the concern— the literary climate in the subcontinent and indeed, across the world.

As Sahgal pointed out, globalisation, religious intolerance, sameness in dress, food and lifestyle threaten to wipe out the delicious diversity that has been a cornerstone of good literature.

How has literature kept up with these changes? How will it stand up to the challenges of intolerance and the spread of identicalness that threatens to wipe out differences between cultures? How will minds stay free and open to state what they think, without fear? Will taking sides become unfashionable for authors this century? Will publishers dictate a brief to authors of tomorrow to plump out?

Could the biggest litfest in the country find the answers? There were honest attempts. The initial plan circulated looked a promising mix. As the festival rolled on, it was clear what draws listeners and sells, and what does not.

“You can’t blame the organisers,” pointed out one attendee, rushing in to catch the words of a film director. “If they didn’t include glamour, the festival would have fallen flat.”

The reel world was not just well represented, but even better attended. The glamour quotient makes heads turn like little else. So, Aparna Sen— in conversation with Kunal Basu over his latest— The Japanese Wife, and Dev Anand, Ian McEwan and Aamir Khan proved to be bigger pulls than regional stalwarts, including the several sessions on the literature of Rajasthan. “But we do hope these sessions will continue each year,” said Khushboo, a local student who attended one such interaction.

Children’s slot

It was good to see children’s literature getting its own slot with Sudha Murthy, Anita Nair and Anoushka Ravishankar.

Ironically, if we were groping for answers to questions raised at the inauguration, perhaps some of them went unnoticed. One of the most thinly attended sessions threw light on a virtual new genre evolving— the graphic novel.

Although there were disappointments like Gore Vidal not being able to make it— what was on offer was eclectic.

Some sessions brought forth the brilliance from distant parts of the country. K Satchidanandan drew unstinted applause.

Indian authors are making the effort to find their own heroes, often seen through colonial interpretations.

Jaishree Misra’s discussion on her book on Rani Lakshmibai is a case in point. And perhaps there could be more Dalit and feminist voices from India.

The screening of Ian McEwan’s Atonement drew more attendance than several sessions put together. But many wondered if Miranda Seymour’s session with William Dalrymple qualified for this literature festival. Or for that matter, the biggest crowd puller of them all, Dev Anand who spoke of his latest book— Romancing with Life.

In fact, the festival threw up some interesting debates among the participants and audience on what truly is literature. Should a literature festival represent so many writers from overseas? Or should it be more of a platform for Indian writers? “Indian authors can hope for no better platform to be heard from. How many of them are invited to festivals abroad?” pointed out an academic who is a regular at the festival.

A festival of this scale needs to be concentrated around a smaller area if participants are to optimise time. The literary lunch with Ritu Dalmia and Count Francesco da Mosta and John Berendt was scheduled for a venue across the city. The distance and the time it took just increased the anxiety to get back in time for the next session. Of course, in an ironical twist, although we were with one of the organisers, we never found the venue!

Lost in ‘translation’

And perhaps it could be telescoped a little since it was prefixed by the two-day ‘Translating Bharat’ conference.

Looking at the brighter side of things, clubbing two events together can be a bonanza. But on the flip side, several delegates and visitors, even those from overseas, complained of an attack of literary indigestion.

It seemed to be an overdose for the organisers even to pull in so many different speakers. This left some speakers filling in for those who could not make it and some authors being given short notice to conduct sessions. Some outstation visitors and journalists left mid-way, one returned a couple of days later and some just clocked in for the later sessions.

Seen in the larger context, this festival is certainly upbeat. It breathes in a lot of hope for authors, readers and publishers. Ironically, the legendary Kolkata book fair ran into unprecedented troubles at about the same time, give or take a couple of weeks, but Jaipur seems here to stay and grow. Next year, we gather, it will be starred by Madhur Jaffrey, Amartya Sen, Hari Kunzru and …

Well, given what happened to some of the star sessions this year, perhaps such announcements are best toned down.

Should we say, instead, watch this space?