JAIPUR LIT FEST'13—more to it than glamour

By N. Madhavan

Columnist/Associate Editor

Hindustan Times

Jaipur is just the place and the last week of January is just the right time to hold a literary festival. For one, there is a colourful air about the Rajasthani capital, with its exotic past and camels that go with history and the magic of the printed word. On the other hand, not far from Delhi, it is great for both those wanting to get away from the metro rush and international travelers at the end of a cold period to catch some sun.

The festival has acquired its own unique colour. 

credits- Shweta Maheshwari 

For a festival that calls itself the “greatest literary show on earth” it is not just about staid writers and sombre sessions. The Diggi Palace lawns, where the festival is held, has the air of an Indian mela, and has also acquired what some might call “Page 3” glamour with fashionable ladies and somewhat loud partying people making up the ambience. It also helps that the festival organizes musical evenings (this year shifted to the Amer area in the suburbs).

The festival this year was less controversial than last year, when writer Salman Rushdie was prevented from coming by Muslim group protests. This year,  protests erupted towards the end of the festival when sociologist Ashis Nandy mouthed a comment about corruption and backward/scheduled caste leaders. 

The furore underscored the fact that the festival has become a political event of sorts.

Alongside politics, the festival also sees a Bollywood touch. Lyricists Prasoon Joshi and Javed Akhtar and actress Sharmila Tagore were among the attendees this year, as was cricketer Rahul Dravid.  

So, is literature about such glamorous figures? Clearly not. While these lent fodder for the news media, there is undeniably some depth in the festival from less fashionable sessions held in the large tents and halls outside of the front lawns and the “Char Bagh” front grounds where the bigger sessions occur.

I particularly enjoyed a session on books about music, featuring Vikram Sampath, author of “My Name is Gauhar Jaan” -- about a British colonial era courtesan. There was another serious session on books about India’s Maoist heartland and the Northeast. Yet another one discussed the life of the mathematical genius, Srinivasa Ramanujan.

These sessions more than made up for criticism that the festival is shallow.

My high point as a Tamil speaker was listening to a US scholar, David Shulman, who is fluent in Indian languages and about the history of India’s temple towns and holy places. Such scholars are ones who notice only when a festival showcases offbeat topics and writers. For this, one must thank the organizers of JLF!

WANTED- POLITICAL IDOLS IN INDIA

Writerspoint wishes all it's readers in India, a very happy Republic Day.
As we celebrate our 64th Republic Day we marvel at how farsighted our constitution makers were!
The brilliant political leaders made our constitution rigid enough to maintain its basic structures and philosophy of the country and at the same time flexible enough to incorporate changes that time demanded. Even after 64 years, we awe at the makers of the Indian constitution for drafting the longest written constitution of any sovereign country in the world so successfully!

                                                                 _________

                                                          

Like everything around us, politics has also changed and continues to change rapidly. Today, when we look at politics, we cannot help but associate it with corruption and other mal-practises and eventually end up calling it 'dirty politics'. We no longer have political idols or political leaders, all that politics offer us today is ' politicians'. The youth today idolises actors and sportsmen, singers and dancers. Don't blame them, they do not have much choice because India has lost the recipe to create idols in the field of politics. 

Should we seek inspiration from Abhijit Mukherjee? Yes, son of our Honourable President who claimed that the women participating in the protests for Nirbhaya were “pretty women who were dented and painted”.

He said students who go to protest there think it is fashionable to hold candles and protest.

“This is almost like the Pink Revolution. These women who are protesting have no contact with ground reality. These pretty women, dented and painted, who come for protests are not students. I have seen them speak on television, usually women of this age are not students,” Our politicians make such comments on critical issues like gang rape.

Can politicians like him who do nothing but make obnoxious comments and objectify women become idols for our generation ? 

If not him, how about Laxman Savadi and CC Patil? The Karnataka state ministers were caught watching porn in the State Assembly. Now, they are perfect political idols, aren't they ? 

Ironically CC Patil was the minister for women and child development! This is what he had to say- "The truth is like this... The mobile phone had a video of a rape incident. The victim is murdered by the rapists. Subsequently, the people chase the rapists and catch them. Later, the government awards death sentence to the accused. Patil and myself were sympathising with the victim."

 They are the representatives who are elected by the people with the hope that giving them position of such great powers will change the condition of our country. But unfortunately, for them State Assembly is not a place to discuss issues of social welfare, but a place to watch porn! We can certainly not expect youth to seek inspiration from ministers like them! 

We might be stupid enough to elect you, but we are not stupid enough to believe what you say, irrespective of what we see! 

How about Mayawati ? This Indian politician who claims to be working for the downtrodden and backward classes of our country chose to spend 685 crore on a mere park with statues of herself and stone carved elephants! Dear miss Mayawati, had you used all that money for setting up schools for children of backward classes, you would have done so much good. Unfortunately politicians of our country do not know how to work towards something even if they have a good cause to work for. So I don't blame my friends who idolise Salman Khan for his N.G.O Being Human.

     ___________

While the list of politicians like them is very very long, only two names pop up in my mind when I think of Political Idols of 21st Century in India.

 AUNG YANG SU KI 

"It is true that I have lived abroad. It is also true that I am married to a foreigner. These facts have never interfered and will never interfere with or lessen my love and devotion for my country by any measure or degree."

A.P.J ABDUL KALAM

"To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal"
  ________

Their words are enough to inspire us, their actions make us look up to them. What they have done for us and our country is something we cannot pay back. What we can do is respect them and their ideas! 

It must be a lonely path, with every single day a challenge. To stand up for your rights without flinching, to face humiliation and violence with courage, without retaliating violently - Oh no, not everybody can do that...

But they have done it for India and for us! We need more like them.

Tell us about the political leaders of India you idolise. We need more like them ! 

INTERVIEW FOR CONNECT ASIA NETWORKS

Connect Asia Networks (C.A.N), a unique global platform dedicated to engage, enrich and empower through eduainment featured me as a 21st Century Change Maker as a part of their initiative called 21st Century Change makers- Talk Less, Do More.
This is a milestone for Writerspoint!

follow this link to - Read the interview at CAN.

Kai: Hi! Shivesh, how do you like to introduce yourself to CAN?

SB: I am an eleventh grade student from India. I don’t like to keep my feelings buried. I prefer to share it with people around me. For this I take to words as they are powerful and can make or break our world, shape opinions and motivate minds. My tryst with writing began back in 2008, when I won a National Level Article writing competition. After that my articles began to get published in newspapers and I realized- I can write! Two years later, in 2010, I decided to create a forum where, I could share what I write. Writerspoint was born!

Kai: So Writerspoint – yeah I get it… Writer’s point without apostrophe and space  .. tell me more!
SB: Writerspoint’s objective is to create and share ideas. It is not just about my ideas, but of others also who have something inspirational to share. This December, we completed a year. Eight experts from different field took to Writerspoint to share their inspirations. I believe; share happiness and it will double, share sorrows and they will divide, share ideas and they will multiply, and that is the agenda!

Kai: What is the source of your Inspiration?
SB: Different people and different situations inspire me. There was a class-room discussion on ‘stereotyping Muslims’; which inspired me to write a story. When a friend shared her ballet class experiences; I was motivated to pen a dancer’s story. Each story evolves from a different inspiration.

Kai: What is the best part of being the conductor of Writers point?
SB: Writerspoint is my child. Writerspoint gives me the joy of being able to share what I write. It has also given me recognition. At the end of the day, when you write something you want it to be read. Writerspoint has given me those readers!

Kai: Amazing…what are the challenges that you face?
SB: Being a student, I have to manage Writerspoint with daily school, homework, projects, tests and exams. So, time is the biggest challenge. Especially during exams writing a blog post becomes impossible. After exams, I get depressed when I realize I have not written since some time!

Testing Prototype & Executing Finale

Kai: How do you convert the ideas/inspiration to features at Writerspoint?

SB: Ranjit Lal, who has penned many fiction and non-fiction writing for children and adults talked about an ‘idea box’. He said you should observe people and your surroundings and maintain a box, where you put all the ideas you get. So whenever I get an idea I make a draft in my hand phone and when I get the time to write, I use these ideas.

Paro Anand, introduced me to this very interesting technique – Bum In Chair. You just have to sit on a chair, with an idea in your mind and a pen in your hand. A good story will come by itself. If you keep thinking of an idea and keep planning things in air, it will vanish within no time. So Whenever I have time, I take my pad and start writing. Sometimes I end up tearing couple of pages. After a while, I am actually able to write something good enough to post on Writerspoint.

Inevitable Invisibles
Kai: Who are the people who help you execute Writerspoint? What is their role in your success?

SB: I am very fortunate to have talented friends, who have always helped me not only with execution but ideation also. Manya Ahuja, who provided photographs for three blog posts, is so talented that her pictures speak 1000 words! She has arranged these images in the shortest deadlines and has never compromised on quality. Another friend, Mitul Lall did pictures for a feature by a published Indian author. The pictures she clicked were simply beautiful. Shweta Maheshwari who modeled for them also deserves special mention. Together they make a terrific team! The three of them have done so much for Writerspoint for absolutely nothing.Divya Mittal helped me to spread blog’s reach by taking it to more people. She also manages Writerspoint’s Facebook page. There are other friends like Ipsita Aggarawal, Kalash and Kanagana Pandya who have been true pillars of support.

Besides them, I owe Writerspoint’s success to all those who read the blog and appreciate it. All the love not only makes us feel good but also encourages us to do better.

Kai: What is your New year vision and where do you see Writerspoint 5 years from now?
SB: Writerspoint has grown from a personal blog to a platform where number of people work hard to give readers an amazing reading experience. We have had around 6000 page views and audience from 10 countries! Within a year, renowned authors like Paro Anand and Ranjit Lal have given us interviews. Other professionals, authors, illustrators and actors have written for us. It is a matter of great pride and we wish to take it further. I also plan to start taking articles from other student writers because as I said, the ideas will multiply. 5 years from now, I hope to see Writerspoint as a developed website with a huge number of writers and a lot more readers.

Kai: Wow, you are inspiring! One big advice to CAN young-ones and grownups
SB: To the youth my advice is to develop the talent/ interest you have. All of us have hidden skills, try and discover it. Don’t hesitate to do what you want to. Remember, no one is going to make your dreams come true for you. It is your job to get up every day and work towards it. What is important is to enjoy every step of the journey.
To the grownups: When a child is young, parents make him/her join all kind of art, music and dance classes to develop ‘interest’ but when it comes to actually pursuing an interest, they are the first ones to disapprove. Most parents don’t want their children to become artists, whether dancer, actor or musician. I want them to realize that your child will be happy in true sense only when he/she gets to do what he/she likes. You should support or at least consider their decision with an open mind.

Kai: I wish I could talk to you forever but I GTG…Any parting thoughts you like to share?
SB: Recently we have collaborated with different people and organizations. We officially covered Bookaroo Festival’ 12 and interviewed many authors there. We also collaborated with a talented group of illustrators called Kuchh Macchli and they launched their short film “Odyssey” on Writerspoint. The main objective behind this is to grow. The idea is – Don’t tell us sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon. I hope we are headed in the right direction!

Kai 5- BIG 5 Take Home’s from Shivesh:
Take 1: Having a dream is not enough! I need to wake up and work towards making it a reality!
Take 2: Chair the bum and box the ideas! (Focus without forgetting!)
Take 3: Friends are blessing in disguise (i love my friends any way!!)
Take 4: Having a vision helps me see the future without a crystal ball
Kai’s Favourite Take 5: Don’t tell us sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon

GB-8 TRUE LOVE IS NEVER JELOUS

The last guest blog. It was a very happy birthday !

BY  SUDEEP NAGRKAR, author 

There is always some madness in love, which makes you read the eyes of your love before even he utters a word. Shweta knew the answer before even Sushant asked. Sushant had come with lovely flowers and teddies just to propose Shweta for the wedding. He took a prettiest rose in his hand along with all the teddies and asked her “Will you marry me”. She couldn’t have found a better mate, so gorgeous, caring and easygoing. He had become her best friend in a shorter span of time and she knew in her heart that she loved him.

“Yes” She nodded positively.

A way of relief washed over his face, which followed with a long passionate kiss. The date of marriage was set on 10^th October. Shweta started to pick out cards for her marriage and the memories immediately flooded her heart. This was not the first time she was getting married. 2 years ago her first fiancé Rohit had died in a car accident only 2 months prior to her wedding date. She wondered if she would ever heal from that loss. She was merely 23 when this tragedy happened and her family and friends expected her to move on and date others, which she did. But marriage?

 For days, she kept thinking whether Rohit, the angel, would feel bad for her decision to marry someone else. Though he was not alive, they had shared a true bonding of love. She had once promised to be his one and only.

She removed a letter of Rohit from the shelf. With watery eyes, she started reading it.

I will trust you, nurture you and do all I can to make you content.

I will be there for you my sexy wife till the end of time.

I will always be yours until Death separates us apart.

Tired of crying she slept. However, she had taken a decision not just for her better life but also for her family, her friends and her well-wishers.

In morning prayers, she prayed, “Dear God please tell Rohit that you needed him and hence I have found a man who is caring and treats me wonderfully. Please tell him to forgive me. Tell him to forgive me for not keeping the promise. Tell him that somewhere in my heart, I still love him and he will be with me forever. But I need to move on.”

Days passed and she gradually started getting involved in Sushant who treated her like an angel. Her smile was back. Her life was back. Everyone around was happy as the marriage day approached nearer.

Photography- Mitul Lal
Model- Shweta Maheshwari

Just before the day of marriage, Shweta and Sushant decide to go for a late night drive without informing anyone. They decided to go in Shweta’s car. As the car smoothed away on the road, Sushant pushed his seat behind to relax his body. He looked down to find something strange. He bent down and took the shining thing in his hand. He found a necklace besides the sit. Shweta looked at him expressionless as she realized that the necklace was her birthday present from Rohit 2 years back. She had searched it everywhere but was unable to find. It was here in the car and now in the hands of Sushant.

“Wow this is beautiful, why don’t you wear it?” Sushant tenderly fastened the necklace given by Rohit around Shweta’s neck. She felt uncomfortable and explained who had given her the necklace. For a moment, Sushant just stared at the necklace. Shweta feared rejection and felt that her marriage would be broken one more time.

Photography- Mitul Lal
Model- Shweta Maheshwari

“You mind me wearing it?” Shweta whispered with a low tone.

“No. Now you can think that is a present from both of us.” He smiles. He indeed loved her truly and understood her situation.  

She knew that her prayer to hear from Rohit had been answered. She believed Rohit somewhere in heaven had accepted the relationship of hers with Sushant.

It has been 4 years for their marriage now, she still wears the necklace, and Sushant still loves her the same way he used to 4 years ago.

“True love is never jealous.”

Photography- Mitul Lal
Model- Shweta Maheshwari

GB-7 INSPIRATION

BY MAHESH THAKUR, actor

Inspiration is one side of an equation.

Friends, teachers, family, famous personalities sometimes even books and knowledge about the great men who have walked this planet inspire us.

But inspiration is just half of the conquest. Half of the effort. Inspiration needs to form the complete circle... Where you find the reason behind everything you do.Everything you stand for or believe.

The other side of the equation is finding "THAT" creative force in you. Which by itself inspires you, motivates you to achieve.Not just to succeed in what you strive for but.motivates you beyond reason to find the "Truth behind this illusion of life"

And this striving to seek by itself. Is a deep calling of your soul to unite with the great consciousness "GOD" unleash your creative self.Start Believing in yourself! 

Self inspiration a path to enlightenment!

__________

The night had just passed me by. I was covered in a warm blanket then., waiting for the sun to smile upon the earth once more so I could start my day once again.

How is it that I wait patiently for the next day to enjoy my freedom and at the same time let my vulnerable self get moved by other humans thought patterns? 

Is it because I view myself with limitations of a human existence even though I know beyond belief that I am more than just a human form!

As we walk this earth and interact with others.Let not the mortal form take command of your being. But your immortal true self be in the drivers seat.

For your immortal self will never give into the lower aspects of life but on the contrary it will paint your canvas of vision with purity to enjoy every moment Of your time here!

So welcome your higher self each day. To bring the desired change as for certain..You know more than what you do!

_________

Staring at the night sky watching the billions of stars gaze down at me,

The light from them which has taken billions of years to reach the earth to reach me for this moment Just for this moment. So I can't help but question this expanse., this infinite, this creation...

I have asked and ask again.Where did it all begin?  Why did it all begin?

Neither my intelligence, neither my beliefs and neither my borrowed knowledge from another can truly convince me of the answer.

The spirituality embedded in this grand design are like fancy jewels which you still have not been able to put a value to it.

Therefore I close my eyes and surrender to deep slumber.And dream a dream.

With this great satisfaction that I too am a jewel and the reason I live is cause of the WILL of this great expanse!

GB-6 HILAWI

The Fable

BY RITU LALIT, author

It was war time; the earth was in turmoil.  The air smelt of sulphur fumes.  Strange vile- coloured smoke billowed up to the sky.  It was a long time ago, the earth was young, and there were as yet no gods or demons – no devataas or daanavas.  The two warring armies were equally matched.  Some called them forces of light and dark, to others they were creative and destructive forces.  No side had won conclusively, and powers and names had not been acquired or assimilated.  An uneasy armistice prevailed.  It was whispered that the warriors were churning the ocean, using a huge turtle as base and a mountain as pivot. 

No one wanted to go near the beach, but the fourteen-year-old girl had no option.  She was a slave, and had been ordered to get turtle eggs and scorpion claw for her mistress, a renowned medicine woman.  She approached the beach, terrified for her safety and the life of her baby.  The sound of the giant churners was deafening, and no one noticed as she got closer. 

The girl hid behind some upright stones, and watched the scene wide-eyed.  It was true; these strange people were using what looked like a serpent to churn Tethys Ocean!  She crept closer, inching bit by bit to hide near a small boat tied nearby, and watched.  She shook her head decisively and murmured to the baby strapped on her back, “No, it can’t be a serpent.  They would have torn it apart if it were a serpent.  It’s just some thick rope made of something stronger than hemp.  Now don’t make a sound.”

She sat down in the sand to watch, slipping a piece of cotton dipped in honey into the mouth of her son to keep him quiet and gazed at the frantic activity.  The dull sound of stone grinding and the panting gasps of the warriors churning the waters drowned out any other sound.  The sound of grinding intensified in a few minutes to a deafening roar.  There was a flash of unnatural lightning as the waters churned harder.  A man arose in the choppy waves and he looked as though he was riding on a monstrously huge turtle.  The girl’s eyes widened.  She vaguely registered that the man on the waves was carrying something in his hands, but she could not get her eyes off the turtle.  Her baby stirred and she hushed it. 

There was a grinding crash as the mountain broke into bits, the trees rooted on it falling on each other and bursting into flames.  The waters turned murky; there was debris and the carcasses of animals floating on it.  The smoke darkened the sky, the mood of the warriors turned angry.  The uneasy truce broke.  She looked around for a safe way to retreat from what seemed to be turning into a war zone but could not.  There were skirmishes all around the shore.

She panicked, and wanted to flee, even endure another whipping from her mistress for not doing her bidding.  Just then, she saw a richly-dressed dark man run, chased by two taller and fairer men.  One of the pursuers threw a shiny disc-shaped weapon that decapitated the dark man.  She cowered, unable to tear her eyes off the head rolling in the sand and the blood.  All around her she could hear the ominous sound of metal against metal.  Trembling, she climbed into the boat, covering her baby and herself with her robes.  She lay there, still as a corpse, hoping that she would escape notice and live through the fight.

All around there were cries of pain, yells of blood lust, the groans and shrieks of the mortally wounded.  Her senses were assaulted by the sounds of metal clashing, the sickening crunch of bones being broken, the smell of burnt flesh, blood and dead things.  She desperately put her baby to her breast and willed it to keep quiet.   The fight was coming closer to her hiding place.

Creeping closer to the rope that was holding the boat in place, she took out a small knife from her pocket and cut the boat free with trembling hands.  The Tethys Ocean had just endured a lot of churning.  The currents were strong.  The boat got whipped by the peripheral current and bore the girl and her infant son far away from the place of her birth and her slave mistress.

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