The seventh edition of The Hindu Lit for Life is taking place at the Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall in Lady Andal School in Chennai from Saturday.
Kiran Doshi
This year, a children’s literary festival has also been introduced. It offers workshops for those aged between 5 and 12, a science laboratory, a Zumba session, storytelling and colouring, and a tea party.
Catch the live updates from the event here. You can also follow @HinduLitforLife on Twitter for updates.
Welcome to the live updates of The Hindu Lit for Life — Day 2, India's sharpest literature festival.
The winner of the The Hindu Prize for 2016 is Kiran Doshi for his book, Jinnah Often Came to Our House
Prize for 'Page to Stage' goes to Women's Christian College and the runner up is SSN.
N. Ram speaks to Akshaya Mukul and Saeed Naqvi about the Hindu Rashtra.
"Gita Press celebrated BJP's 2014 win. After a long time a Hindu Party came to power," says Akshaya Mukul.
Once you created a Muslim Pakistan, the case for a secular India weakened considerably: Saeed Naqvi
"It was totally by accident. It started with kids writing about colours," Markus on his book The Book Thief. "Choosing death as a narrator was an accident."
"I was a complete mess when I was writing the last 50 pages of the book," admits Markus. "I loved Rudy. I had to soften the blow (of his death) for my own benefit."
One of the interesting questions asked by a young audience was how did he have a heart to kill his characters. To this Mark replied, "Writers love misery. I want to feel the depth of grief. I was just doing what I was supposed to do what is right for the book,but not what is right for the characters."
Markus reads an excerpt from book in his and an actor's voice. "Some people are good at reading their books. I am not. On a similar session, a lady came up and told me I really like your book but your reading was atrocious."
My research was childhood of hearing their stories. I was the youngest. I was with my parents for the longest. They would tell me funny stories of their chidhood. My dad would say he did not join the Hitler Youth because he thought it was boring. I saw another side to Nazi Germany through their stories."
Meanwhile, at The Hindu Pavillion, Anoothi Vishal, Gauri Devidayal and Sarah Todd discuss about food and criticism, moderated by Shonali Muthalaly.
Anoothi Vishal, columnist and author of Mrs. LC's Table says that When she started writing about food 15 years ago, her boss thought food was half a beat. Soon the restaurant boom happened. Now there are so many people writing reviews on the digital platform. The freshness and rigour that's brought to the business of reviewing has gone missing.
"In the age of aggressive PR machinery The best thing you can do for your restaurant is speak about it yourself because you know it better than anybody else. Sorry PR people. - Gauri Deendayal, restaurateur.
Sarah Todd, former model, who was a contestant on MasterChef Australia season 6 and now has a restaurant called Antares in Goa, says that she's often confused with reviews her restaurant receives. Once the same dish received two contrasting reviews online- one said it was the best Surf Turf ever ad the other said it's the worst Surf Turf they've ever tasted. They didn't say why it was good or bad.
The association of small bombs - Karan Mahajan in conversation with Suhasini Haidar
The title is ironic, a comment on how the media assigns a scale to tragedy, says Karan. "The challenge in a novel about terrorism is to go beyond the instant media narrative of who, what, why, how sad."
Karan Mahajan in conversation with Suhasini Haidar
The challenge of writing about terrorism is that it is a difficult subject. The Lajpat Nagar bombing in Delhi in 1996 where 13 people died happened at a very strange time when the BJP was in power for 13 days. So, in a sense, it was an orphaned bomb because no government actually took responsibility to investigate it, Karan Mahajan, author of Association of Small Bombs said.
Mr. Mahajan said bombings have a tendency to create confusion, especially in the Indian context, where immediately people look for things like air conditioners or cylinders that might have caused a blast.
He said, in the book, he wanted to look at three main things - what is like to be someone who loses someone in the bombing? what is it to be carry an injury for a long time? what is it on a day to day basis to carry out act of terror?
“It (Terrorism) is the crime of ideology. People who are alienated, who feel not completed integrated into the system, are looking for some solace. That is what leads people to extremist ideologies. A lot of the terrorists are very idealistic. When you look at their lives, they were not personally affected,” Mr. Mahajan said.
Suhasini Haider, who moderated the discussion, said, “We have built a foreign exchange of terror where we all put up the flags of some countries (when some attack happens). 500 school girls were kidnapped in africa, but we didn't care much about it , but 20 people are killed in a well known capital, the whole world immediately wakes up to it”
'Keep asking questions'
Audience question to Kanhaiya: I am neither bhakt nor Modi supporter. But in the name of revolution, are you advocating anarchy?
Kanhaiya Kumar in conservation with Sadanand Menon at The Hindu Lit For Life on Sunday.
Kanhaiya clarifies: I don't demand revolution. I'm unemployed and I want employment. Lal Salam means I am supporting revolution. Not opposing democracy. I say 'Jai Bheem'. He is the main architect of democracy in the country. If demanding equality means revolution in our country, then we need an revolution.
"From a dialectic point of view you are not the same person that you were five minutes ago," says Kanhaiya. "How many people in our country wear Che Guevara T-shirts without knowing who he is! Ideology is not a label."
Kanhaiya signs off the session urging the youth to keep asking questions. "Keep asking questions, whether you get answers or not. If not in this generation, maybe in next you will get answers."
'Don't think India is ripe for revolution'
Sadanand Menon talks about Intolerance. Quotes Sarojini Naidu - " I'm tired & tired of our country's intolerance."
"The system is very good in dividing whatever stands against it points," says Sadanand. "They are trying to impose brahminisation through the process of saffronisation," replies Kanhaiya.
"There is no movement for Najeeb, because he is from a particular community. Islamaphobia is prevalent in the world," says Kanhaiya.
We are not parasites, the system is the parasite, Kanhaiya says about "financial capitalism".
"Today degree and jobs are important. Education is not important," says Kanhaiya. "Students are crying for democratic rights, that's why they are becoming anti-democratic. Modi’s has trolls who are paid trollers. We have free fighters."
Your optimism is infectious: Sadanand to Kanhaiya.
"Is India ripe for revolution?" - Kanhaiya Kumar in conversation with Sadanand Menon
The hall is packed full for Kanhaiya Kumar's conversation with Sadanand Menon.
It has become difficult to differentiate between nationalism and anti-nationalism nowadays, says Kanhaiya Kumar. "BJP is now into appropriation politics. First, BJP appropriated Ambedkar, now they are appropriating Gandhiji.
Revolution is an ongoing process, there isn't a specific date for it. People who raise questions against military are termed 'anti-national."
"In India, Digital democracy has a problem where they use fake videos, edited photos. Ideological content is missing in the new age digital media," says Kumar. "Whatever trends on Twitter, becomes a headline in the media."
"People who say 'Modi Modi' don't know the ideology of Modi. That is a problem. Unity in diversity is the hallmark of India. But imposing oneness by majoritarian force is not going to happen. I have faith in our diversity. No one can impose one-ness. On the one hand, they talk of one nation. Yet, in Delhi circles, they call all southIndians 'Madrasi' and NorthEasterners 'Chinky'. If you want to establish a narrative, there will be a counter narrative."
"In the U.S., there is a huge Statue of Liberty, but Trump is now President. See the kind of situation!"
"Revolution itself is a romanticising idea. Forget revolution, we are trying to save democracy here. Situation in the country is such that now you are not respecting plurality of the country. The Youth did not vote for Modi for temple. They voted for jobs. They have to take up the responsibilty for misrule. They have destroyed the welfare state."
"There must be ideological unity against the idea of oneness, if you want to defeat fascism. College heads have been replaced and ideological wars have begun at campuses."
1.45 p.m.
" If journalism wants to speak to people, it has to be of the people", said Molly Crabapple
12.47 p.m.
"Ezhuthuvadu eppoluthum ennaku magilchi tharum, ennal ezludhamal irrukka mudiyathu". (It gives me great pleasure when writing, I cannot live without writing), concludes Perumal Murugan.
12.44 p.m.
12.35 p.m.
Ezhuthu Saabama illai Varama? "Irandum". Writing is curse or boon. Perumal Murugan answers both.
12.12 p.m.
11.55 a.m.
Mr. Chidambaram and Sanjaya Baru discuss the role of former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao in bringing about liberalisation in 1991 and whether former PM Chandrasekhar would have taken such a decision.
Rebooting the Indian Economy - P. Chidambaram at the The Hindu Lit For Life 2017 at Venkatasubba Rao Hall in Chennai on Sunday.
Mr. Chidambaram and Mr. Baru discuss the lack of the support of Congress leaders to former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao
"Demonetisation was an ill-conceived idea. Demonetisation would not meet any of the three objectives stated by the govt - corruption, black money and fake currencies." Mr. Chidambaram said "Demonetisation would not meet any of the three objectives stated by the govt - corruption, black money and fake currencies."
Political commentator Sanjaya Baru disagrees with P. Chidambaram; Mr. Baru said "no overt action against demonetisation was witnessed in a country known for road rokos and Dharnas."
11.46 a.m.
11.40 a.m.
A remarkable marriage of Shakespearean works and Bollywood was explained by Jonathan Gil Harris on the second day of the fest.
11.27 a.m.
London was a complete kichadi in the aspects of language during Shakespeare's time , says Jonathan Gil Harris.
11.12 a.m.
Poet Vairamuthu in his talk said that his songs focus on people, culture and language and that he continued writing about them given how one can never exhaust things to write about with regard to them.
Stating that one should never undervalue film music. the poet went on to reminisce about experiences of composing with M.S
Viswanathan, Ilayaraaja and A.R.Rahaman. Tamil film music is changing colour and evolving with the times, he said and hoped that more music composers and film directors would ensure that there is still some focus on the beauty of the language.
Fielding questions from the audience, Mr Vairamuthu said that it was never intentional to add English lyrics to songs but lyricists sometimes had to do so because of the demands of the character or film they were writing for.
11.11 a.m.
Dramatizations of Shakespeare's verses is unfolding in Studio1 at the Hindu Lit Fest with Jonathan Gil Harris.
10.57 a.m.
While speaking about Shakespeare's influence on Bollywood, Jonathan Gil Harris says, it's the fact that Shakespeare is masala is what makes him click. Think Shakespeare's works such as comedy of errors that translated into Angoor, Romeo and Juliet that was adapted numerous times as Ishaqzade, Ramleela and Issaq, Hamlet that was seen in Haider, Maqbool a reworking of Macbeth and Omkara from Othello. His plays are the perfect masala for Indian cinema. There's heat, colour, melodrama and over the topness. We think of Shakespeare as great art and encounter him in literature classes. We think of him as a writer or novelist, not as the playwright or entertainer that he was.
10.52 a.m.
Romeo and Juliet really resonates in Bollywood" states Jonathan Gil Harris as he talks about star-crossed lovers at the fest.
Mr. Gil Harris states "Bollywood and Shakespeare have interruptions for random item numbers".
10.48 a.m.
"Shakespeare never had an original idea and that's part of his greatness" claims Jonathan Gil Harris at the festival.
10.37 a.m.
Pazhamaiyai veraaga vaithukkolungal. Pudhumaiyai poovaaga vaithukkolungal, ( Keep the old ones as roots and the new ones as flowers) Mr. Vairamuthu glorifies Tamizh in cinema.
10.31 a.m.
10.29 a.m.
Vairamuthu recalls how 'Pudhu Vellai Mazhai' was made with A.R. Rahman. "The 'mettu' was composed to induce shivers", said Mr. Vairamuthu.
10.20 a.m.
Mr. Vairamuthu reminisces about working with music directors Ilayaraaja and M.S. Viswanathan
Mr. Vairamuthu speaks about working with AR Rahman and how they went on to make the song Pudhu Vellai Mazhai
10.14 a.m.
"If Shakespeare would've been alive he would be writing for cinema not for theatre" says Jonathan Gil Harris. He further added "Shakespeare is masala."
10.10 a.m.
10.06 a.m.
"Nobody should undervalue film songs and say they don't have any literary value" , says lyricist Vairamuthu
The highlights of Day 1
Here is to today's schedule.
| 9.45 a.m. - 10.45 a.m | Sol, Isai, Porul — Lyricist Vairamuthu in conversation with Thamizhachi Thangapandian |
| 10.50 a.m.- 11.40 am | Rebooting the Indian Economny - P. Chidambaram and Sajnaya Baru. Moderated by N. Ravi |
| 11.55 a.m.- 12.40 p.m | Return of the World - Perumal Murugan in conversation with A.R. Venkatachalapathy |
| 2.30 pm - 3.20 pm | Is India Ripe for a Revolution? Kanhaiya Kumar in conversation with Sadanand Menon |
| 3.25 pm - 4.15 pm | The Book Thief Markus Zusak in conversation with Tishani Doshi |
| 5.20 pm - 6.10 pm | The Hindu Prize Ceremony |
| 6.15 pm - 7.00 pm | Heroines Then, Heroines Now Malavika Sarukkai in conversation with Sreemathi Ramnath |
