The 6th Nepal Literature Festival begins the first of its four-day run in the premises of Nepal Tourism Board, Pardi, Pokhara today. The event will see a host of litterateurs, academics, journalists, artists and musicians participate in more than 30 panel discussions on various issues, ranging from gender equity and politics to ideas, politics and literature.
Nepal Literature Festival 2017 Banner
Ajit Baral, the director of the festival, spoke at a press meet where he said that, with the festival being held in Pokhara for two consecutive editions, the organizers hope to establish Pokhara as a literary city and further promote the Lake City as a touristic hotspot. Baral also relayed that the organizers have introduced musical and cultural performances in this edition of the fest to cater to a wider range of audiences.
Speaking at the event, poet Saraswati Pratikshya said, “It is a matter of great pride that the Nepal Literature Festival is being held for the second time in Pokhara. This literary celebration has established itself as a much-respected brand and will elevate the Lake City’s literary and cultural status. It will be a wonderful platform to highlight national literary trends while encouraging interaction with international authors.”
In addition to a number of Nepali authors, such as literary heavyweights such as Buddhisagar, Khagendra Sangroula and Narayan Wagle, this 4-day fest will feature discussions with internationally-acclaimed authors such as Ramchandra Guha, Durjoy Dutta, and Udaya Prakash.
Furthermore, Nepal Literature Festival 2017 will also feature painting exhibits, poetry recitals, and concerts and a special offering by the comedy royalties, Madan Krishna Shrestha and Haribansha Acharya. This iteration of the festival will also be broadcast live via YouTube.
The fest is being jointly organized by Bookworm Foundation and Random Readers’ Society, Pokhara.
Nepal Literature Festival 2017 will run every from 11 AM to 6 PM at the Nepal Tourism Board premises in Pokhara, through Jan 30 (Magh 17). So, if you’re in Pokhara or don’t mind travelling, you should go and immerse yourself in the literary goodness of the country and beyond.