Recentfusion.com–Pokhara: Nepal Literature Festival is all set to begin in Pokhara from January 27. The sixth edition of the Festival will be held in Pardi, Pokhara from 27 to 30 January. The festival will bring together a host of litterateurs, academics, journalists, artists, thinkers and musicians for a vibrant celebration of words and ideas, culture, music and creative expressions. This free-for-all event will provide a platform for healthy discussions and dialogues on contemporary issues.
In a press conference organized by the organizers, Poet and Writer Saraswati Pratikshya said, “It is a matter of great pride that the Nepal Literature Festival is being held for the second time in Pokhara. This literary celebration has established itself as a much respected brand and will elevate the lake city’s literary and cultural status. It will be a wonderful stage to highlight national literary trends, while encouraging interaction with international thinkers.”
Each year, the Festival provides a forum for debates on a host of issues ranging from gender to politics, history to literature, and economics to society. This year, the festival will showcase close to 40 sessions divided into two venues, encompassing nearly 100 participants. Some highly awaited sessions include those with international writers – conversations with eminent sociologist and historian Ramachandra Guha, popular writer Durjoy Datta, as well as the finest contemporary writer in Hindi, Uday Prakash.
A translated collection of Uday Prakash’s collection of stories, Nail cutter, will be launched during the event. Bhutanese journalist Namgay Zam will be part of the discussions.A special literary supplement – Harpan – was also launched during the press conference, targeted at the festival. This magazine has interviews, write-ups, anecdotes and information on the Nepal Literature Festival and its attendees.
Shedding light on the goals, Festival Director Ajit Baral said, “Through the celebration, we hope to enhance Pokhara’s status as a literary city, and also contribute towards a boost in tourism. We have focused on including musical performances and events on each day to further engage and interest the audience. This is a new effort from our side.”
Another anticipated event of the festival is a special and novel show put by eminent artists Madan Krishna Shrestha and Haribansha Acharya. This will be a one-of-a kind performance. The festival also has other unique opportunities lined up for the audience, including a painting exhibition, book signings, discounts, poetry and gazal recitations, as well as special musical performances. The festival will run from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM each day at the Nepal Tourism Board premises in Damside, Pardi, Pokhara. The festival has extended its time by one hour each day compared to previous editions.
Another specialty this year is that all sessions will be broadcast live, and social media channels will constantly update audience about the festival. It can be viewed live through Youtube channel: Nepal Literature Festival.Inviting everyone to the festival, Upendra Poudel, president of the Random Readers’ Society, said, “Each of the sessions has been designed to entertain and engage, make the audience interact and take part.
This is a celebration of literary vibes, art and creative energy.” Meanwhile, Creative Artists’ Group (Sirjanshil Kalakar Samuha) will be exhibiting works by its members during the Festival. President of the group, Surya Baraili, said, “We are delighted to be exhibiting our works, because there cannot be a better forum than the literature festival for showcasing art works, as art and literature feed and enrich each other.”
The festival is organized by the Bookworm Foundation and co-organized by Random Readers’ Society, a book discussion group committed to the promotion of Nepali arts, culture and literature. The festival is sponsored by Nepal Telecom and Nepal Tourism Board.
Leave a Reply