It appears that the participants at the world’s largest free literature festival being held in the Indian city of Jaipur are seeking knowledge but with a dash of frolic. The annual Jaipur Literature Festival has come as a bunce for the local chemists as young people are thronging shops for condom since seventh edition of the event began on January 17 this year.
“At close of sale on Sunday, we sold more than 900 condoms in the late evening hours,” says a chemist who runs a shop near the Diggi Palace Hotel which is the main venue of the festival.
In three days more than 5000 people have taken part in the festival and the numbers are swelling. “As our shop is on the backside of the road we have few customers during evening hours, but on Sunday young boys in huge numbers descended and asked for male contraceptives,” the shop owner says wishing anonymity.
From Nobel laureates to local language writers, Man Booker prize winners to debut novelists, every January ‘the most remarkable, witty, sensitive and brilliant collection of authors’ come together for five days of readings, debates and discussions, the website of the festival says.
But, clearly the festival isn’t attracting young Indian people only for 'readings, debates and discussions', but other things as well. “Featuring live music sessions and interactive workshops, the festival provides a space to dare, dream and imagine,” the organizers say. The festival certainly seems to provide space for wild 'dreams'.
Another shop located in the vicinity of the venue is catering to similar requests. “Not only boys but a few girls also came to ask for contraceptives,” the shop owner says. He says Jaipur hosts tourists throughout the year and the sale of contraceptives is stead, but during the festival the demand for the condoms is ‘quite high’.
An article published on the Mint says about the fashion being followed at the festival: “FLAUNT the latest styles. Quite a few fashion tips for the pseudo intellectuals brought to you by the literary frat. If I could line up all the boots worn at JLF, I am sure the line would stretch to the moon and back.” “It’s more of a fashion show where everyone comes to exhibit their glamorous outfits be it men or women and hang around with each other,” says 22-year-old Aarushi who has come from Indian capital New Delhi to participate in the fest.
With the huge influx of participants, hotels near the pink city venue are packed. “Young couples from various parts of India come and ask for cheap rooms,” a hotel manager says. “We have a capacity of booking for more than 200 customers and I thought that would be enough for two days. But I am surprised how everything has been running out!” he adds.
JLF, which began in 2006, is now regarded as a cultural catalyst within India and around the world, exposing audiences to a constant flow of ideas, its organizers say. From a mere 100 visitors in 2006 to a massive footfall of around 200,000 in 2013, the 17th century Diggi Palace shot into global fame from being just another heritage property to a literature hub as it served as the constant host of the JLF for the last six years.
This eclectic marriage of literature and heritage has benefited both. So much so that the Diggi Palace is now synonymous with the JLF. From planning special, elaborate menus to setting up colourful marquees, the owners start their preparations three months in advance to ensure the five-day literature feast doesn't disappoint.
This year the festival runs from Jan 17 to 21 and boasts of 200 authors from eclectic backgrounds, including heavyweights like Nobel Prize winners Amartya Sen and Harold Varmus, Man Booker Prize winners Jhumpa Lahiri, Tash Aw, Alison Macleod and Jim Crace, Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan, Olympic boxing bronze medalist Mary Kom and lyricists Javed Akhtar and Prasoon Joshi.
