By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 14: The third edition of the Shillong Literary Festival organised by the side of the exquisitely decorated Ward’s Lake took off with a bang. Ward’s Lake, locally known as Nan Polok, lies beneath a canopy of pink cherry blossoms. The inaugural day, coinciding with Children’s Day, witnessed a celebration not only of the little ones but also a reflection on the child within each one present.
Underneath a pink and white shamiyana lakeside, animated discussions ensued centered on the perspectives of children and their interpretation of the world.
Tinkle characters like Suppandi and Shambhu materialised, launching graphic books amid various captivating literary dialogues.
The literary festival was inaugurated by Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh, Vijay Kumar D, Commissioner and Secretary, Government of Meghalaya, Ampareen Lyngdoh, Minister of Law and IPR, and Naveen Kishore, Publisher, Seagull Books.
Speaking at the launch of the festival, Commissioner and Secretary, Tourism, Vijay Kumar highlighted the importance of literary festivals as an impetus to promising writers and also as a crowd puller which could boost the economy of the state.
Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh rued the fact that he could not participate in the LitFest as a poet, writer and lyricist for having joined politics but he took heart in the fact that Pablo Neruda, the great Chilean poet and diplomat, was also a politician. Looking at the crowd that thronged the LitFest venue, Lyngdoh said he is tempted to return later in the day as an interested participant. He urged intellectuals and thought leaders to actively engage in public discourses for societal progress.
Naveen Kishore, the publisher of Seagull Books, stressed the influential role of words in preserving culture, stating, “Here this morning, we have gathered to discuss, debate, and even explore the idea of culture through literature, through the written and spoken word.”
Speaking off the stage with The Shillong Times, Kishore denied that the importance of reading literary discourse would vanish. He said, “I have been hearing this for forty years that e-books are coming, technology is advancing, and books will lose their importance. I do not agree. Writing and reading can never end, only that we have to keep up with the changing times.”
The day commenced with noted author Janice Pariat engaging in conversation with Cheryl Rynjah on her book Everything The Light Touches. Janice delved into her journey of writing the book and exploring that part of Meghalaya – Domiasiat in West Khasi Hills where uranium occurs and the story of late Spility Lyngdoh, who stoutly refused to lease out her land for uranium mining even though she and her generations to come would have enjoyed a life of comfort if she had done so. Janice ruminates on the courage of conviction of Spility who was a sterling example of what conservation is all about.
This was followed by an interactive storytelling session with music by Nokpante, the band led by Mikhail Ch Marak with Cheangku K Marak and Snam Rangsa. This session was moderated by Jemimah Marak. Each time Mikhail and his team sang the crowd went wild. They clapped and waved their hands even as the songs sung in Garo language resonated with them.
An open mic session for young poets, hosted by Lalnunsanga Ralte in collaboration with The Shillong Times’ ‘Sunday Shillong,’ provided a platform for young poets.
Visual artist Rohan Chakravarty added an interactive element, challenging the audience to solve a crime scene with Naturalist Ruddy.
The next session catering to both children and adults ensued, followed by the much-anticipated arrival of Suppandi and Friends, injecting a lively atmosphere with character guessing games and queries.
The following session saw the launch of the book, The Mystery of Cave, by children present at the venue. They excitedly opened up the neatly packaged books and showed them off like the grown-ups before them had done. This was done in the presence of Glenn Kharkongor, Chancellor of Martin Luther Christian University, Patricia Mukhim, Editor, The Shillong Times, and illustrator of the book, noted artist, Careen Langstieh.
Kharkongor emphasised the need for a voice representing children amidst diverse community discourses.
As the cold set in, the evening session was a full house.
Mukhim shared the genesis of the book The Mystery of the Cave’ stemming from a spontaneous cave expedition at the famous Mawmluh cave which is where the Meghalayan Age is geologically dated. She highlighted the importance of caves in the state not merely as tourist attractions but as repositories of rich cultural heritage, urging the younger generation to be cognizant of this legacy through visually compelling images.
The concluding session featured the launch of Stories from the Valley, marked by a discussion with the authors Karen Dognahue and Junisha Khongwir moderated by Parismita Singh in what could be called an emotionally surcharged ambiance as the authors relived their journey of “listening” to many voices and captured the memories of so many families that once lived in “Happy Valley,” a place that is home to the Mizos of Shillong.
The first day was marked by rich discussion with authors who delighted the audience with their literary marvels and insightful discussions.