As the world's largest FREE literary festival, JLF brings together some of the greatest thinkers and writers from across South Asia and the world. Every January is a treat for literature lovers as they get to listen and interact with the note-worthy personalities from the literature circuit. Nobel laureates to journalists, Man Booker prize winners to debutants, photographers to painters; JLF is the hub of arts and culture. By 2011, JLF attracted the largest festival audience in the Asian Pacific region, with approximately 60,000 visitors from 24 countries. It featured 224 speakers in 140 sessions and 100 musicians in 20 concerts.
Ravish Kumar at one of the sessions (Source)
This year would mark the Jaipur Literature Festival’s 17th year on the run. For the past few years, however, the festival has been on the front page for its controversies more than the events. JLF never ceases to see a gathering of many audiences and speakers in any year. The cool, breezy January morning beginning with an intellectual session is a huge relief for many of the festival’s attendees.
The best aspect of the festival is the fact that one can easily interact and ask questions to their favourite speakers, or they might even catch up on a conversation with them over tea. The setting of Diggi Palace Hotel sets the mood for a high-profile meeting place for the ones whose minds are never at rest. A large crowd compromising students and academics are thankful to JLF for not making this festival a paid one for them (However, you can get a delegate pass by paying a certain amount of money which would buy you uninterrupted entrance into the authors’ lounge). But once a person is inside, everybody is treated the same, which visitors find most attractive.
Numerous book and poetry reading sessions also keep happening simultaneously as the other sessions occur. A pool in the middle of the communal area provides a quick breather in the midst of the hectic schedule, even for the ones attending the festival. A Full Circle bookstall is also available on the ground for the guests to buy speakers' books and get their own copy of the book by their favourite author signed at the meet-and-greet sessions. The democratic nature of the festival has played a huge role in its success over the years.
Full Circle bookstall at JLF source
The pool at Diggi Palace source
Jaipur Literature Festival Dates 2024
The 2024 Jaipur Literature Festival will begin on Thursday, February 1 and ends on Monday, February 5.
His Holiness at JLF 2013 source
If you are also looking forward to attending this festival, then all you need to do is, log on to www.jaipurliteraturefestival.org and register yourself for free! You will get a receipt of your registration, and you need to print it out in order to produce it at the registration desk at the entrance. You can also register on the spot. That is just about all you need to do to get a seat at the biggest literary festival in Asia!
One of the main reasons for the success of the festival is because it is so overwhelming for its visitors; they make it a point to come back the next year-round as well. And while they wait for the next January to arrive, they spread the word to their friends and family and tag them along on this incredible literary adventure. Moreover, as the sun sets with the last session of the evening at the Jaipur Literature Festival, the celebrations are moved to another location for the concert night, where numerous artists of various genres, ranging from folk to electronic to jazz, continue to celebrate the day with the guests through their performances.
A fusion event at the concert, JLF source
All in all, Jaipur Literature Festival paints a complete picture of the art scene in India and abroad with its motive to work towards igniting the intellect of the people with their various talks and globalised musical performances. This is definitely an event which will have you talking about it all year long. Official Website of JLF