Three-day Shoolini litfest to begin from April 8
Chitrakoot School of Liberal Arts, Shoolini University is organising its Second Literature Festival from April 8 to 10 with a galaxy of authors and writers participating in both the offline and online mode.
The event coincides with the annual Shoolini Flower Festival which effectively showcases the exquisite flora and fauna of the campus.
Shoolini University had hosted its first literature festival in the online mode last year. However, this year the event will be conducted in a blended format with more than 40 speakers coming in person from different parts of the country.
The theme of the Festival is “One World, One Dream”. It will have as many as 30 sessions with many prominent speakers and will be held in the Open Air Theatre, according to co-convenor of the Festival Prof Manju Jaidka.
Spread over three days, approximately 70 speakers will discuss different genres of literature such as mythology, historical fiction, detective fiction, Nepalese literature, Punjabi and Urdu poetry. Furthermore, the invited speakers hail from all over the world, from countries such as USA, Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Serbia, Brazil, Poland, Finland, Singapore Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
The celebrated author Devdutt Pattanaik will speak on the importance of mythology in literature and the arts in the opening session. Prof Jaidka said there will be a conglomeration of international poets in poetry sessions, panels on different genres of literature, ranging from the classical to the popular. Writers from the USA will speak of their literary achievements. There is also a session on photography and literature, on film adaptations, and one on sports journalism.
Along with the Literature Festival in Shoolini University, the flower festival will offer an abundance of colour, fragrance, and a visual delight. Visitors will be able to appreciate and buy an assortment of vibrant, exotic, and colourful flowers. There will be a book exhibition at the Yogananda Knowledge Centre, the main library, which is an architectural marvel. An exhibition showcasing magnificent handicrafts from the state of Himachal Pradesh will also be organised. There will be food stalls and other facilities for visitors. Further, a special story-telling session will be held for young children.
The evening sessions comprise cultural events including a homage to Birju Maharaj and Lata Mangeshkar, a Himachali folk night, a play performance based on Amrita Pritam, and – above all, a session with the maestro, Shafqat Amaanat Ali.
