KOVALAM LITERARY FETE HAS A DELHI LEG

KOVALAM LITERARY FETE

HAS A DELHI LEG

Noted writers of all ages from the country and abroad will address over 21 sessions featuring a variety of literary and social subjects at the fifth edition of the Kovalam Literary Festival (KLF).The festival is slated to be held at Kanakakkunnu Palace here on October 6 and 7, after a stopover at the India International Centre (IIC) in New Delhi on October 3, said writer Binoo K. John, founder-director of KLF.The Kerala leg, which will begin with a lecture by human rights activist Binayak Sen, will have leading writers like Timeri N. Murari, Sonia Faleiro, N.S. Madhavan, C.P. Surendran, Biman Nath, Naresh Fernandes, and Aroon Raman, besides leading photographer Amit Pasricha.The ‘Evening of Music’ on October 7 at the Nishagandhi auditorium will begin with an hour’s show by Israeli musician Tal Kravitz, followed by a two-hour concert by Delhi-based rock band Indian Ocean.

Writer-musician Jeet Thayil will read from his first novel Narcopolis at the festival, a fortnight ahead of the announcement of this year’s Man Booker Prize in London.The Kerala-born author is in the race for the coveted British literary honour worth £50,000, having been shortlisted alongside heavyweights such as Hilary Mantel and Will Self.Mr. Thayil, 53, will read excerpts from the 2011 work that profiles a murky story based on his own experiences that feature the drug dens of Mumbai, at the session in Delhi.“In fact, the festival will start off with Mr. Thayil’s presentation,” Mr. John said in a release here.Apart from Mr. Thayil, the speakers to attend the Delhi session are Monisha Rajesh, Nilanjana Roy, Manu Joseph, and Farrukh Dhondy, besides Sri Lankan author Ru Freeman, London-based Roderick Mathews, and Israeli writers Dorit Rabinyan and Sarai Shavit.

Prof. John Kurakar