Known for its magnificence and wonderful climate, Ooty in Tamil Nadu has claimed the title “Queen of Hill Stations.” And, currently, this beautiful hill station is hosting the 7th edition of the much-anticipated Ooty Literary Festival. The two-day event happens on October 6 and 7, 2023.
This year, the fest will not only honour the hill station's bicentennial, but also celebrate its rich tapestry of culture, history, literature and heritage. According to the official press, “Ooty Lit Fest 2023 will go beyond literary discussion to also put the spotlight on the ecological importance of the Nilgiri Biosphere and diverse communities".
What is so special about this Ooty Literary Festival?
This year, the much-anticipated celebration will bestow the Lifetime Achievement Award upon Thiru Perumal Murugan, one of Tamil Nadu's key writers for his immense devotion to advancing education and encouraging literary arts and culture in Tamil Nadu, amid much adversity.
It will likewise include digital dialogues, live interactions, shows, intellectual conversations with celebrated creators, artistic presentations, and a different scope of Indian classical, blues, and jazz shows that shall reverberate in the hills. “Throughout the long term, OotyLitFest has arisen as a significant stage to present, protect, and promote Tamil Nadu's literature," it noted.
The celebration will likewise mark dialogues, addresses and conversations from speakers including Aamir Khan, Apsara Reddy, Javed Akhtar, Mansoor Khan, Jerry Pinto, Kalki Koechlin, Dr Mahesh Rangarajan and Sudha Murty, among others.
Programs to be held during Ooty Literary Festival 2023
The Ooty Literary Festival 2023 will likewise have a variety of programs during the celebration. These incorporates:
The World of Words at Nilgiri Library- A literary group highlighting prestigious authors, business, historians, film personalities and social leaders, and conservationists taking part in discussions, storytelling, and talking about the issues that light the brain.
Enlightening Minds in The Courtyard- Intended for the youngsters, this segment will have renowned speakers enlightening youth on the wonders of the natural world, and our inner selves.
Recollecting Nilgiri's Socio-Cultural History- An exhibition offering a visual journey through the developing landscape of the Nilgiris throughout the course of 200 years, organised by Jenny Pinto. A portion of these have never been shown together to unwind the tales of yore.
An Artist Re-creates The Magic of Ooty- Celebrated cartoonist Paul Fernandes will feature his remarkable old illustrations that will catch Ooty at The Nilgiri Library.
Live Music- Melodic party including leading artists performing Blues, Sufi, and Jazz as the sun sets over the Nilgiri hills.
What is a Literary Festival?
A literary festival is also called a book festival or writers' festival. It is a normal get-together of writers, readers or journalists usually on a yearly basis in a specific city.
A literary festival typically includes various introductions and readings by writers, as well as different occasions, delivered over a time of a few days, with the essential targets of promoting the writers' books and cultivating an affection for literature and writing.
Writers' conferences are once in a while intended to give an intellectual and academic concentration for gatherings of writers without the contribution of the general population. There are numerous literary celebrations held globally.