Of books and litfests

“Some books,” Francis Bacon famously said, “are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” But as Dylan wrote and sang, ‘The Times They Are a-Changin’. In the digital world of today Bacon’s wise words may sound a little incongruous, when even our daily news feed comes not so much from the newspaper sheets being shuffled around over sips of morning tea in the backdrop of bird song and the sun rays singing the hymn of dawn, as from google news on the mobile … When the book shops, including some iconic ones, all over the world, are pulling down their shutters … When we have OTTs and social media outlets to splurge on … When we have radio broadcasts to hear, religious conclaves to attend, slogans to shout and video/text messages to peddle.  When we have IPLs and a mind-boggling array of TV serials on our platter, where do we have the time and inclination to “taste”, “swallow”, “chew” and “digest” say, B N Goswamy’s soul-elevating Sunday column ‘‘Art & Soul’?

So have all these attractions and distractions sounded the death knell for the printed word? Has it lost its magic pull?

Well, despite fears and forebodings that at times haunt me, my considered answer would be: NO. Despite the present day youth’s “servility to the dollars” as one of my esteemed friends tellingly put it, the lure of the printed word and the seductive flavour of a book on your lap is hard to beat or replace. Nothing can match the rush of adrenaline one feels on the mere sight of one’s dream book, or the bliss and ecstasy that pervades the soul on savouring some striking turn of phrase, a bewitching metaphor and the twist in a story. My recent visit to the Jaipur Litfest that I spoke about earlier and the eager participation of people, the younger lot outnumbering the older, only fortified my optimism about the future of books, words, writers and writing.

No wonder therefore that of late the litfests are becoming so ubiquitous. Almost every big city has a litfest of its own to boast of.  And I was pleasantly surprised to learn about my own district debuting with one at Dharamsala this March. Being away I couldn’t attend it, and what I gathered from my bibliophile friend, it wasn’t any great shakes; yet, isn’t it a good start? And now that I have been to some few, I am in a position to make comparisons and say that the Khushwant Singh Litfest organized at Kasauli in October (now discontinued due to the pandemic) is as good as any. It brings together writers from a pretty wide spectrum and a wonderful flock of other attendees as well. The venue scented by autumnal whiffs of pines is splendid, though it gets a little chilly in the evenings. But worry not. The Kasauli club has a warm welcoming bar at hand for thirsty palates and the chill-sensitive. And those with a roving eye, I assure, wouldn’t be disappointed either. So if all goes well, and if the vile, wily ‘virus’ stops being more vengeful (to teach the incorrigible Sapiens yet some more lessons), I hope to see my bibliophile mates at Kasauli next fall. Though a shy creature, I am gender neutral and will be a good company, I promise.

I searched google for an appropriate quote to go with my post. From the bewildering maze, I picked up this one:

“A book is a dream you hold in your hands.”

                                                                                                         -Neil Gaiman

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Comments

  1. RC KapilApril 9, 2022 at 1:00 AM

    The luxury of printed word seems threatened by the storm of digitization, nanotechnology, small to smaller spaces, fast pace of life and commercial interests. The urge for knowledge will survive as it has heretofore since Adam ate apple of knowledge but books in their present shape are not likely to continue for long. It is unfortunate that the Book as a sister of the fire place in the bungalow is bound breathe its last.

    ReplyDelete
  2. subhashApril 10, 2022 at 6:37 AM

    Your forebodings have a ring of unmistakable truth. But let's still keep the flicker of hope and optimism, even if feeble, burning.

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownApril 15, 2022 at 8:28 PM

    Keeping in line with passion for books, a group of ladies of Palampur has started a "Palampur BookClub", which meets every month to discuss about a book- given to each member who comes prepared to make aware about its contents which other members also discussed and read which would trickle down to the families.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. subhashApril 17, 2022 at 12:03 AM

      I am aware of this splendid initiative. I doff my hat to the "group of ladies" for giving Palampur something it direly needs. May your enterprise grow more wings and soar ever so high. But, pray, why this gender bias? Agreed that women are from Venus, are men all indeed from Mars???

      Delete

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