As the year crawls in with all its glory and the fragrance of fresh beginnings, we welcome you to start the year pursuing a trip to the unmissable, unmistakable and the unparalleled Jaipur Literature Festival.
Quick facts about Jaipur Literature Festival 2020
Date – 23rd – 27th January 2020
Place – Diggi Palace, Jaipur
Every year in the month of January, Jaipur turns into a hub for all the avid readers and literature enthusiasts who wait to attend the very popular Jaipur Literature Festival. Although the festival is thronged by people in deep love with literature, it also encourages the newbies to explore this unexplored arena – literature, arts and fiction – and provides them with a perfect base to befriend books and read.
Jaipur Literature Festival commences on the 23rd and ends on the 27th of Jan 2020. Now’s the time to raise the bar of your knowledge and delve into the exceptional events curated to tickle the art lover in you. To help you clear any doubt that you might have with respect to visiting Jaipur for the Lit Fest, we give 15 best things about the festival.
15 Reasons to visit Jaipur Literature Festival 2020
1. The Largest Collection of World-Famous Books
Sheer bliss for a book lover, the most promising feature of Jaipur Literature Festival is the availability of the rarest international books under one roof. As magical as it may sound the experience is even better, so be there.
2. Readings Sessions by Eminent Personalities
Among the main highlights of the Jaipur Lit Fest is the impeccable reading sessions by the laureates of the field. These readings not only transport you o a different world but also make sure that the experience stays with you for quite a while.
3. Discussions and Debates to Be a Part of
The immaculate speakers scheduled to speak in the Jaipur Lit Fest this year include a wide array of popular, award-winning novelists, editors, translators, book illustrators and publishers. Prominent among them include Dr Shashi Tharoor, Shobha De, Urvashi Butalia, Namita Gokhale, Michael Dwyer, Jeff Deutsch and others. Meeting such distinguished personalities and listening to their ideas and journey is an experience of a lifetime.
4. Meet and Greet Your Favourite Authors
Only a book lover can understand the connection he feels with the author of a book he loves the most. And to meet their favourite writer or getting an opportunity to talk to them and getting your copies of their novels signed by them is something you can not miss. Jaipur Literature Festival gives you that feel-good moment where you can talk, get clicked and take autographs of elite novelists.
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5. Jaipur Music Stage
There are a number of local and world-renowned bands who will be showcasing their extensive talent at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2020. From jazz, ghazals, world music or rock, Jaipur Music Stage from that is happening from the 23rd – 25th Jan 2020 promises you a few breathtaking evenings of amazing music.
6. Interaction with Your favourite Speaker
One of the best things about the Jaipur Literature Festival is the easy access you get to engage in conversations with your favourite speakers over tea or lunch. You can learn their ideas, perspectives and also take suggestions if you are an aspiring writer or speaker yourself.
7. Impeccable Art in Every Form
The festival does not only host the literary art forms, rather it prides itself in being the platform for almost all art forms and experiencing all these within the five days at the festival is something that should not miss.
8. Poetry Durbar with Renowned Poets
Poetry Durbar is a special event in Jaipur Literature Festival where prominent poets like Annie Finch, Makarand R Paranjape, Ranjith Hoskote, Afra Atiq, and others will read excerpts from their works. The series of multi-vocal poetry readings of different moods and meters lets you enjoy the true essence of poetry.
9. The Jaipur Bookmark
Jaipur Bookmark brings together the publishers, translators, agencies, writers, literary agents, and basically all stakeholders of the industry under one roof. This form of exposure turns out to be beneficial for many in addition to being a great experience to the newbies of the field.
10. JAAN – An Artistic Exploration of India
Jaipur Literature Festival offers a unique event under the heritage event banner titled JAAN, which is an artistic exploration of India through select texts of Indian poets who have contributed in English, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi and Urdu. This event is organised by Les Souffleurs Commandos Poétiques or Poetic Commandos who are famous for their innovative art of whispering philosophical, literary and poetic secrets in the ears of the passers-by using long hollow canes.
11. Rendezvous with Manish Malhotra
Investing 30 years as a costume designer, entrepreneur, model and couturier, the doyen of the fashion industry will be seen in the Jaipur Literature Festival 2020 in conversation with the leading intellectual property attorney Safir Anand. Manish Malhotra will recount his journey, share his experiences and also offer some important tips to budding fashionistas.
12. Essay Writing Competition
Zee Jaipur Literature Festival 2020 will be organising an essay writing competition, the details of which will be revealed soon. This competition will have participants from around the world who will be given an opportunity to showcase their writing skills. The submissions will be evaluated by an elite panel and the winner will also be declared.
13. Director’s Cut on Shikara
The eminent director, screenwriter and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra will be a part of this popular festival in Jaipur where he will speak in-detail about his upcoming film Shikara. This movie is a powerful account and is based on the true story of the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the beautiful valley of Kashmir that occurred 30 years ago. Vidhu Vinod Chopra will be seen in conversation with author and journalist Shunali Khullar Shroff.
14. Incredible Food for Your Insatiable Hunger
Jaipur Literature Festival gives you a chance to gorge on some dainty delicacies of this beautiful and royal city. You can enjoy an elaborate spread of authentic Rajasthani dishes and also taste a wide variety of desserts. The stalls in the festival are a portrayal of the vivid culture of the place and essence of the same is embedded in their food too.
15. Amazing Weather that Welcomes You
The weather in Jaipur in January is cold which means you are saved from the scorching heat of the blazing sun that otherwise keeps this city hot most of the time. The pleasant weather lets you enjoy the Lit Fest thoroughly as you soak in the different art forms that you get to witness here.
Experiencing the grandeur and heritage of a place like Jaipur is something that is a must-do on everyone’s bucket list. But when you get to do the same in the company of the likeminded people who are as passionate about literature as you, the experience is exceptional! Come, be a part of the Jaipur Literature Festival 2020 and wake up the artist in you.