Jaipur Lit Fest concludes, focus remained on creativity, not controversy

Jaipur lit Fest concludes, focus remained on creativity, not controversy

Jaipur, Jan 29 (IANS) The five-day-long annual literary extravaganza reached its culmination in this Pink City on Monday evening with a debate on "#MeToo: Do Men Still Have It Easy". It's a conclusion that this literature festival has seldom reached in recent years as it managed to rally around over two hundred sessions without any controversies -- thanks to a timely decision by CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi to stay away.For the past many years, the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival had become almost synonymous with controversies. From Ashish Nandy to Salman Rushdie to Taslima Nasrin and to many other little known episodes that had gnawed at the very existence of the festival in the past, the 11th edition of the stood contrary to all such memories. And yet when the festival began -- just five days ago -- it seemed that another turmoil awaited it.With the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, in gross defiance of the law, going on a rampage in many parts of the country after the censor board cleared Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Padmaavat" for release, it was but clear that another controversy awaited the festival as CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi was scheduled to attend a session here. The fringe group had already issued numerous threats to Joshi and had made it clear that it would not allow him to attend the festival. But silence and absence are sometimes greater tools of communication than words and presence at a given event. Joshi's announcement that he will not be attending not only saved the annual event from being caught up in protests but, just like he wanted, ensured that the festival focussed on "creativity and not controversy" in the longer run."Will not be attending JLF this year and must say will miss sharing great moments with literature and poetry lovers," Joshi had earlier said in a statement, before highlighting that the reason he was "doing this" was to protect "the dignity of the event" and to ensure that the annual literary gathering "does not get compromised". Joshi had also said that his absence will protect "the organisers, fellow writers or the attendees" from any "discomfort caused" to them. "And also so that the lovers of literature get to focus on creativity and not controversy," he had said. And that, indeed happened.More than 200 sessions on diverse literary topics, addressed by literary stalwarts marked the happenings over he past five days. Before the festival formally ended, its co-producer, Sanjoy Roy thanked the Rajasthan government, Jaipur police and other local authorities for enusring that the event reached its logical conclusion without any disturbances or protests.--IANSss/vm

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