CM inaugurates Jaipur Literature Festival
Jaipur, January 23. Chief Minister Shri Ashok Gehlot inaugurated the 13th edition of Zee Jaipur Literature Festival on Thursday by lighting the lamp. Addressing the litterateurs, literature-lovers and guests from India and abroad present at Diggi Palace on this occasion, he said, “I hope that discussions and sessions on literature, culture and various other subjects in this event will inspire the new generation.”
Shri Gehlot said that the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) has completed 12 years of its journey and during this period, the festival has carved its niche not only in India, but in the entire world. He said that every year the authors and litterateurs, readers and art lovers wait for this festival every year and they come here to listen to each other and share about literature through dialogue.
The Chief Minister said that renowned authors and litterateurs, who have won prizes like Nobel, Man Booker, Pulitzer, Magsaysay and Sahitya Akademi, attending the festival would increase the importance of this event. Book lovers, who so far have been reading their favourite writers, can see them face to face and hear them.
Shri Gehlot said, “It is quite fortunate that famous Rajasthani stories ‘Bataan Ri Phulwari’ of our state’s celebrated author Shri Vijaydan Detha, who is renowned as ‘Bijji’, has been translated into English with title ‘Timeless Tales from Marwar’, and I have the opportunity to release this book during the inaugural function.”
The CM said that ‘Batan Ri Phulwari’ contained Rajasthan’s folk life, culture, tales and the life values of rural Rajasthan. With this book being translated into English, these stories would reach the readers across the country and world, he said. “Bijji stayed in a small village Borunda and wrote world-level literature. His global fame is a matter of pride for us all,” he added.
During the inaugural function of the 5-day event, Shri Gehlot and other guests released the English title ‘Timeless Tales from Marwar’ of ‘Batan Ri Phulwari’.
Festival Director Shri Sanjoy Roy welcomed the guests and shared detailed information about the event. Co-director Ms Namita Gokhale said that authors and writers of 15 Indian languages and 35 International languages would speak during this great literary show. Apart from this, there would be sessions on different writings of famous authors like Munshi Premchand and others.
Author Shri William Dalrymple said that the JLF got phenomenal fame during these years. The huge gathering of literature lovers attending this festival was an evidence of the fact that literature had its own importance in India.
Art & Culture Minister Dr. BD Kalla, State Assembly Chief Whip Shri Mahesh Joshi, US Ambassador to India Shri Kenneth I Juster, former Vice Chairman of Rajasthan Foundation Shri Rajeev Arora, Principal Secretary Art & Culture Smt. Shreya Guha, reputed authors, writers, artists and dignitaries from India and abroad were present during the event.
