THE DRIFT ON DAY ONE
The bitter cold, world accents, swelling crowds… the drama of the Jaipur Lit Fest begins, and no, Rushdie’s not coming
“I’ve already missed the first session,” the irate blond woman at the airport tells me. It’s early morning Friday, and we’re at the airport, waiting to catch the flight to Jaipur, to attend what else, but the Jaipur Lit Fest in its fifth edition now. It’s been over an hour of a wait for the flight, and it will be many hours more before we finally take off, only we don’t know that yet. “Are you a journalist?” I ask her, because it seems to me that such a delay would chaff the nerves of a deadline conscious writer more than others. “No,” she says. And she’s not an author either. But she is part of the teeming junta that is descending on the Pink City this weekend, enthusiastic despite flight delays, cold wave, apparent extremist threats et al.
When we finally touchdown at Jaipur, after close to an hour of circling overhead, it seems almost an effort of will. The bad weather in the capital has got flights diverted to Jaipur and schedules have gone considerably haywire. To add to the drama, a man has fainted on board whilst the plane was circling, causing more confusion.
Walking onto the Diggi palace grounds finally is a revelation, because the drama of the environment hits one. It’s not in the inherent cheer of the festive banners, showing off the look-at-me Rajasthani colour splash, nor is it just the milieu, a mix of nationalities as rainbow-hued as the banners. It is the security at the gate, more tight, more stern than I remember it from last year. Police all around and two check posts, complete with instruments. The organisers are clearly not in the mood to take chances, and I understand why, when the statement from Rushdie arrives.
“For the last several days I have made no public comment about my proposed trip to the Jaipur Lit Fest at the request of the local authorities in Rajashthan, hoping that they would put in place such precautions as might be neccessary to allow me to come and address the Festival audience in circumstances that were comfortable and safe for all” it reads. “I have now been informed by intelligent sources in Maharashtra and Rajasthan that paid assassins from the Mumbai underworld may be on their way to ‘eliminate’ me…” it goes on. Suffice to say that though he has ‘doubts about the accuracy’ of this, he believes it ‘irresponsible’ to attend the fest, and so won’t be making it here.
Rushdie not attending and the general mood points to fest attendees being disappointed. I bump into designer Sabyasaachi, who is here just for a day. He expresses his annoyance. “This reminds me of what happened to Husain,” he says. “All creative people, be they writers or artists should be allowed freedom of expression.” Chuffed from the earlier talk queen Oprah Winfrey’s visit to his store in Mumbai, the designer is soaking up the Jaipur vibe, if only for a day. As are many, around. “No, he’s not coming: ‘Paid assasins’.... But, yeah, it’s pretty good, yeah mate, another blond lady is speaking into her phone.
More than 70,000 online registrations, from as many as 30 countries expected, and around 200 speakers converging on the heritage grounds of an erstwhile palace. Rushdie or not, this jamboree should be, as the lady puts it, “pretty good…”
The bitter cold, world accents, swelling crowds… the drama of the Jaipur Lit Fest begins, and no, Rushdie’s not coming
“I’ve already missed the first session,” the irate blond woman at the airport tells me. It’s early morning Friday, and we’re at the airport, waiting to catch the flight to Jaipur, to attend what else, but the Jaipur Lit Fest in its fifth edition now. It’s been over an hour of a wait for the flight, and it will be many hours more before we finally take off, only we don’t know that yet. “Are you a journalist?” I ask her, because it seems to me that such a delay would chaff the nerves of a deadline conscious writer more than others. “No,” she says. And she’s not an author either. But she is part of the teeming junta that is descending on the Pink City this weekend, enthusiastic despite flight delays, cold wave, apparent extremist threats et al.
When we finally touchdown at Jaipur, after close to an hour of circling overhead, it seems almost an effort of will. The bad weather in the capital has got flights diverted to Jaipur and schedules have gone considerably haywire. To add to the drama, a man has fainted on board whilst the plane was circling, causing more confusion.
Walking onto the Diggi palace grounds finally is a revelation, because the drama of the environment hits one. It’s not in the inherent cheer of the festive banners, showing off the look-at-me Rajasthani colour splash, nor is it just the milieu, a mix of nationalities as rainbow-hued as the banners. It is the security at the gate, more tight, more stern than I remember it from last year. Police all around and two check posts, complete with instruments. The organisers are clearly not in the mood to take chances, and I understand why, when the statement from Rushdie arrives.
“For the last several days I have made no public comment about my proposed trip to the Jaipur Lit Fest at the request of the local authorities in Rajashthan, hoping that they would put in place such precautions as might be neccessary to allow me to come and address the Festival audience in circumstances that were comfortable and safe for all” it reads. “I have now been informed by intelligent sources in Maharashtra and Rajasthan that paid assassins from the Mumbai underworld may be on their way to ‘eliminate’ me…” it goes on. Suffice to say that though he has ‘doubts about the accuracy’ of this, he believes it ‘irresponsible’ to attend the fest, and so won’t be making it here.
Rushdie not attending and the general mood points to fest attendees being disappointed. I bump into designer Sabyasaachi, who is here just for a day. He expresses his annoyance. “This reminds me of what happened to Husain,” he says. “All creative people, be they writers or artists should be allowed freedom of expression.” Chuffed from the earlier talk queen Oprah Winfrey’s visit to his store in Mumbai, the designer is soaking up the Jaipur vibe, if only for a day. As are many, around. “No, he’s not coming: ‘Paid assasins’.... But, yeah, it’s pretty good, yeah mate, another blond lady is speaking into her phone.
More than 70,000 online registrations, from as many as 30 countries expected, and around 200 speakers converging on the heritage grounds of an erstwhile palace. Rushdie or not, this jamboree should be, as the lady puts it, “pretty good…”
No comments:
Post a Comment