Literature Festival in Jaipur

The Jaipur Literature Festival is the largest and most popular literature festival in Asia Pacific, apart from being the most acclaimed celebration of Indian and international literature to be held in India. The festival includes various readings, talks, debates, performances, children's workshops and interactive sessions, on literary, social and political issues, including book signings by various authors. This vibrant literature festival is held in the gorgeous heritage property of the Diggi Palace hotel in the heart of the Pink City.

Into its sixth year, the Jaipur Literature Festival began in 2006. Its directors are writers William Dalrymple and Namita Gokhale and are produced by Sanjoy Roy of Teamwork Productions. This festival, the largest not only in Indian, but in Asia has been described as the "Greatest Literary Show on Earth" by Tina Brown, journalist and author. In 2006, the festival saw a mere 100 attendees but began growing since 2007, which saw writers like Salman Rushdie, Kiran Desai and Shashi Deshpande. In 2008, 25000 people attended the festival and saw speakers like Ian McEwan, Donna Tartt, Manil Suri, Patrick French, Mohsin Hamid and Tarun Tejpal. In 2010, an incredible 30,000 people and 172 speakers attended and 2011 saw 226 writers and a massive crowd quickly filling up the venue.

The festival, held in the Diggi Palace hotel in Jaipur is spread out across four venues, namely the Front Lawns, the Durbar Hall, the Mughal Tent and the Baithak. Known as the Kumbh Mela of the literary world, this festival witnesses readers and writers not only from across India, but from across America, Europe, Africa and south Asia.

Location Map of Diggi Palace

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The literature festival in 2011 saw many prolific authors like Ruskin Bond, Sonia Falerio, Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, J.M Coetzee, Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, including famous poets and lyricists like Javed Akhtar, Gulzar and Prasoon Joshi.

The Jaipur Literature Festival is one of the biggest crown pullers and entry to all the talks and events are free and open to all (a charge per day is applicable if you wish to sign up as a delegate). This year, a charge has been applied to the musical events that take place in the evening. Registration for the festival for the press, delegates and the general public are now open and to avoid long queues at the venue it is advisable to register online at the Jaipur Literature Festival website before you arrive.

The Jaipur Literature Festival 2012, promises to be as large and colourful an interesting as last year and includes speakers like Ben Okri, Chetan Bhagat, Chiki Sarkar, Chandrahas Choudhary, David Davidhar, Oprah Winfrey, Prasoon Joshi, Javed Akhtar, Peter Popham and may more. The musical evening this year features Coke Studio, Jaipur Kawa Brass Band, Rajasthani Musicians like Chugge Khan, Nathoo Lal Solanki and Gods robots including a poetry reading by Jeet Thayil and Tishani Doshi.

Last Updated on 09 January 2011