Spot Rushdie in this photo?

While Salman Rushdie has put an end to speculations about attending the Jaipur Lit Fest, there is a rumour emanating like smoke through a keyhole that the writer will be there attending, without participating, the fest in cognito.

While Salman Rushdie has put an end to speculations about attending the Jaipur Lit Fest, there is a rumour emanating like smoke through a keyhole that the writer will be there attending, without participating, the fest in cognito. Now before some imam from Deoband, or some SIMI-literate, or a sniper hired by the Mumbai mafia gets too worked up about the meaning of 'in cognito', one can say that Rushdie's presence in the guise of a local Muslim or a journalist - who outnumber the writers in this year's festival by 3:1 - is still in the realm of magic realism. The truth is, 'Haroun al-Rushdie' may already be in Jaipur with those protesting against his now cancelled visit.

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