Cherry Blossoms and Literary Luminaries: Vikram Seth sets Shillong Lit Fest Aglow

Shillong, Nov 18: The 4th Shillong Literary Festival opened in grandeur at the picturesque Ward’s Lake, adorned with blooming cherry blossoms, setting the stage for three days of literary brilliance.

And the start was brilliant with celebrated novelist Vikram Seth setting the tone by saying- There is no need to compare Shillong with any city in the West.

Vikram Seth delivered a special address during the inaugural ceremony reflecting on the universality of literature and its ability to bridge cultures and communities.

Seth called Shillong which is the Scotland of the East, as the Kyoto of the West. He said, “I discovered I had a connection with Shillong, which I didn’t realise till 5 minutes ago. Tagore apparently was in Shillong and it was the basis of inspiration for his book Shesherkobita, or the last poem.”

The poems from this book were read by his mother before Vikram Seth was born. He praised the atmosphere of Shillong, the cherry blossoms, and added that one need not compare Shillong with any other city in the West.

Columnist and writer Shobha De termed the lit fest as the “prettiest” lit fest that she has ever attended. She praised Chief Minister Conrad Sangma by stating, “How lucky is the state of Meghalaya to have a Chief Minister who is multi-talented, so cool, who just connects with the youth and takes so much pride in the cultural identity of the state.”

Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said they have been trying very hard to make it a calendar event not for just the state but hopefully one day on to the national and even international level. “This is just the beginning and we intend to make it much bigger in the coming years” he added.

The inaugural address was delivered by Dr Vijay Kumar D Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya. Director of Tourism, Shri Cyril VD Diengdoh gave the vote of thanks to everyone present on the occasion.

As the day progressed, the festival unfolded a series of engaging sessions featuring eminent authors, artists, and thinkers, promising an unforgettable experience for all attendees. Highlights from Day 1 included an array of insightful sessions with eminent personalities like Vikram Seth, Shobha De, Jerry Pinto, Kynoham S Nongkynrih, Sabir Hussain, Arupjyoti Saikia, and Amabel Susngi, among others.

Tourism Minister Bah Paul Lyngdoh highlighted the gap between human achievements and the divine, emphasizing the role of literature, poetry, and the written word in bridging this divide and aspiring towards the ethereal.

The sessions started with “Folklore as Fiction: The Haunting World of ‘The Distaste of the Earth’”, where Mr. Kynpham S. Nongkynrih delved into folklore’s transformation into fiction alongside Mr. Kanishka Gupta.

The session “For the Love of Travel” saw Mr. Sabir Hussain and Mr. David Laitphlang engaging in a vibrant discussion on the transformative power of travel narratives. Equally captivating was “Ha YupiamkaBei (On Mother’s Lap): Talk and Play”, where Ms. AmabelSusngi and Mr. Daryll Diengdoh explored cultural connections through storytelling.

Vikram Seth returned to the spotlight with “A Suitable Author: Reading & Reminiscences”, where he engaged with Ms. Malavika Banerjee to explore his iconic works and the art of storytelling. Another literary highlight was Jerry Pinto’s session, “The Education of Yuri”, where he shared insights into his creative process, joined by Ms. Janice Pariat in an enriching dialogue.

The evening took an exciting turn with “DeLight”, a much-anticipated session featuring Shobhaa De in conversation with Mr Jerry Pinto. The day concluded with a mesmerizing musical performance by the artists of Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project, a significant step toward promoting the youth and musicians of Meghalaya.

Read: The Lady Bird passes away: Remembering Hephzibah M. Sangma

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