Rajasthan flavour of JLF

23 January, 2017, Jaipur: There have been allegations levelled against JLF that it promotes caters to the English literature and a few Hindi celeb writers. It is said that there is hardly any presence of the regional authors. Though Rajasthani sessions have been included in JLF, most of the Rajasthani authors stay away from the Litfest. Though a Litfest, JLF is also a potpourri of many things cultural and fashionable. A stronger presence of local litterateurs would only add to the ambiance of the fest.

They allege that the Litfest invites only one lobby of authors each year. Likewise, apart from some folk singers at the dinners, the local Rajasthani music and dance is missing from JLF. After voices were raised from various quarters at the state level, there were some welcome changes made and Vishwamohan Bhatt performed at the JLF. This year also the evening music programme line-up at the Clarks Amer presented a great variety, however, many feel that the traditional Rajasthani element should be given a wider berth. This year the Rajasthani Josh group did represent a facet of Rajasthani music.

In this 10^th year of JLF, the Rajasthani elements blended in very well at the fest. During the day-time of the festival took place within the four walls of the haveli-turned-heritage hotel, Diggi Palace. For many days before the festival, workers were engaged to transform the Palace into a venue for hosting the literary “kumbh mela” of Jaipur.

Stalls for authors to sign books had been set up near all the major tents such as the Front Lawn, Mughal Tent, Samvad, Baithak and others. This year, these stalls have been either decorated with cutouts of moustaches or a large papier-mâché peacock both in typically Rajasthani style. Rajasthani men sporting thick bushy moustaches and peacocks is a very common sight in Rajasthan. Many of the colour birds can be seen flocking in the streets. The sides of the various tents were done up with danglings of square cloths with motifs of peacocks, camels, trees, huts etc., all hand-stitched in traditional Rajasthani embroidery style.

Bright and colorful paisley-printed yellow tents were set up in front of the Darbar Hall surrounding the fountain. People mingled around the stalls behind the Mughal Tent selling traditional bric-a-bracs amid vocal fusion of Rajasthani desert music, books on Rajasthan, a wide array of colourful stoles, printed bags, journals, plush toys, pouches, elephant, camel, tiger-printed kurtis for men and women. Stalls were also set up next to and behind the Darbar Hall selling Rajasthani shawls, gems, earrings, pendants and organic candles.

As one walked in and out of the festival, colorful male and female puppets or kathputlis were on sale on either side of the lane. People of Rajasthan have been known to perform the kathputli art since ancient times and is an intrinsic part of ancient Rajasthani culture.

Food stalls selling mouthwatering Rajasthani delicacies such as dal and pyaaz ki kachori also attract huge crowds. The Delegate Lunch tends to get pretty crowded as people stand in queues waiting to taste items like dal baati and bajre ka choorma, which are a part of a typical traditional Rajasthani meal.

We hope, in the coming years, more state artistes get to perform at the JLF, and more importantly, authors from all the regions get there and add to the pageantry.

ess bee