JLF 2025: Of Gaza, namaste etiquette and vanishing tents
While this year’s Jaipur Literature Festival had a diverse mix of eminent literary figures, Nobel laureates, and celebrities-turned-authors, it was the pro-Palestinian representation that made it stand out
A literary pilgrimage akin to the Mahakumbh was how the annual Jaipur Literature Festival was described during the inauguration ceremony. Though, over the years, it has spread across the globe with a presence in cities (primarily encompassing the Global North) such as London, Houston, New York and Toronto, JLF has become an intrinsic part of the urban fabric of Jaipur. Every winter, authors and attendees travel over great distances to be a part of the mega event, and this year was no different.
The programme, as always, had a diverse mix that included eminent literary figures like VV Ganeshananthan, Charlotte Wood, Jenny Erpenbeck and Geetanjali Shree, Nobel laureates like Venki Ramakrishnan and Esther Duflo, celebrities-turned-authors (Huma Qureshi, Prajakta Koli, Kal Penn) and performers for the Music Stage – this time, Kailash Kher was the headlining act. However, what made this year’s line-up stand out was the presence of pro-Palestinian representation, including names such as British-Palestinian author Selma Dabbagh, Pulitzer Prize-winning Jerusalem-based journalist and essayist Nathan Thrall, columnist Gideon Levy, and Indian author Pankaj Mishra, to name a few. Sessions such as Geopolitics: Turmoil in West Asia and The World After Gaza were among the most well attended with panellists speaking (mostly) freely of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the ceasefire. From US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks on Gaza detailing problematic development plans for the site of conflict to India’s own political stance on the issue, the discussions fostered an open dialogue. This culminated with the audience vociferously opposing the motion that “Pacifism is for Losers” during the closing debate. It was a particularly apt response in a “world after Gaza”. However, what also perhaps deserves a mention, are the limits of the festival’s progressive stance particularly when it comes to politics in the host country. A veteran attendee would have been quick to notice a change in the nomenclature of one particular venue. There was no ‘Mughal Tent’ this year; instead, sessions were held at what was labelled ‘Surya Mahal’. All the others spaces were called whatever they had always been. One could only wonder about the case of the missing Mughal tent.
This year had its mix of meme-worthy and politically incorrect moments, a staple of JLF, though the controversies aren’t what they used to be. Past editions of the festival famously featured public showdowns between commentators and illicit public readings from The Satanic Verses. This year, there was Rishi Sunak being schooled by his in-laws on namaste etiquette and Kailash Kher constantly asking for only pretty girls to join him on stage during his performance, as well as a walkout by MK Raina, which was interpreted as a political statement on the popular problematic representations of Kashmiris.
{{/usCountry}}This year had its mix of meme-worthy and politically incorrect moments, a staple of JLF, though the controversies aren’t what they used to be. Past editions of the festival famously featured public showdowns between commentators and illicit public readings from The Satanic Verses. This year, there was Rishi Sunak being schooled by his in-laws on namaste etiquette and Kailash Kher constantly asking for only pretty girls to join him on stage during his performance, as well as a walkout by MK Raina, which was interpreted as a political statement on the popular problematic representations of Kashmiris.
{{/usCountry}}As always, there were some intellectually stirring conversations around the art of storytelling and why literature is a mode of survival for the times in which we live. A session titled ‘Where Does Fiction Come From’ featured David Nicholls, VV Ganeshananthan, Geetanjali Shree, Andrew O’ Hagan and Jenny Erpenbeck discussing their varied processes as well as ways of translating lived experiences through fiction. Shree noted how writing for her is, in essence, “an act of faith”. Another panel, ‘Hyphenated Narratives’, focussed on the hybrid nature of writings by first and/or second generation immigrant authors. Ira Mathur, a writer born in India but settled in the West Indies, stated that these narratives and immigrant existences were imbued with a “permanent nostalgia” that also provided much of the creative force behind them.
JLF, hosted since the pandemic at the Clarks Amer Hotel, has been a magical portal for those immersed in the culture of reading. It is a place where you may encounter Matt Preston of Masterchef Australia advising audience members to visit their favourite eateries instead of using online delivery platforms, or listen in as film director Imtiaz Ali talks about how he does not want to be ahead of the times, or catch actor Huma Qureshi offhandedly noting that her makeup probably costs more than what she earns as a writer. There was much space for weightier matters too: in his keynote address, Venki Ramakrishnan articulated that rapid technological development needs to be cognizant of empathy and human values; seasoned journalists spoke about how to navigate contemporary geopolitical conflicts; Booker shortlisted author Charlotte Wood spoke about tackling the myriad existential questions facing us in the contemporary world through her writing. The heavily-packed days ended with accomplished poets performing live during evening Poetry Hours. This was followed by energetic shows on the Music Stage. From live Rajasthani performances to a festival Bazaar and a wide range of food stalls, as usual, there was something for everyone at JLF.
Hopefully, the erasure of the ‘Mughal Tent’ is not a portent of things to come and the festival continues to provide a platform for dissenting voices in a world where that has become a rarity.
Simar Bhasin is an independent journalist.
