Three-day literature fest ‘Unmesha’ begins in Shimla on Thursday

“Unmesha-Festival of Expression”, a three-day literature fest with more than 425 litterateurs from 15 countries in attendance, will begin in Shimla on Thursday

“Unmesha-Festival of Expression”, a three-day literature festival with more than 425 litterateurs from 15 countries in attendance, will begin in Shimla on Thursday.

The Three-day literature fest ‘Unmesha’ , which is jointly organised by the Union ministry of culture, Sahitya Akademi and the Himachal Pradesh Department of Language and Culture, is part of the series of events under the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. It will begin in Shimla on Thursday. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ Representational image)

Prominent personalities from the art and literature, including the winner of the 2022 Man Booker Prize Geetanjali Shree, Gulzar, Deepti Naval, Sonal Mansingh, Prasoon Joshi, Vikram Sampath, Vishal Bhardwaj and SL Bhyrappa would be participating in the event.

The festival, which is jointly organised by the Union ministry of culture, Sahitya Akademi and the Himachal Pradesh Department of Language and Culture, is part of the series of events under the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.

It will feature discussions, paper presentations, poetry readings and story readings by eminent writers, poets and critics. There will be sessions on tribal literature and LGBTQ writings and one session on Himachali folk songs too.

Various cultural performances, including “Krshna Kaaliya” – Bharatanatyam rendition by Sonal Mansingh troupe; “Tala Vadya Kutcheri” – an ensemble of Indian percussion instruments by P Jaya Bhaskar; “Nagara” – percussion performance by Nathulal Solanki; “Karna” Dastangoi performance by Mahmood Farooqui and Himachali folk dances will be the key attractions during the festival.

Secretary, Sahitya Akademi, K Shriniwas Rao said 32 LG BTQ writers, 40 writers of tribal languages, 25 writers from the North-East, nine Pravasi Indians and nine foreign writers will be participating in the festival.

The fest would start with the session on literature and women empowerment to be presided over by Kiran Bedi who will speak on the topic ‘Mere Sathiya ki Maayane’.

He said Union minister of state for culture Arjun Ram Meghwal will preside over the evening session while eminent writer Gulzar will take a session on ‘Literature and Cinema’

On Day 2, a session on tribal literature will be presided over by tribal writer Anil Bar while Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar will also discuss literature.

Mahendra Kumar Mishra will speak on the literature on non-accredited languages. A session on literature and the Independence Movement will be chaired by SL Bhyrappa.

Gitanjali Shree will be the key speaker at the event on the concluding day. She will speak on ‘Women Writing in Indian Languages’.