Monday, 30 October 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The fifth Dehradun Literature Festival concluded on Sunday. The festival’s final day featured sessions by noted personalities including filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, actress Sobhita Dhulipala, actor Samir Soni, singer Khushboo Grewal, historian Hindol Sengupta and flmmaker and fashion designer Muzaffar Ali. During the day, Gaura Pant aka Shivani, a literary legend from Uttarakhand, was also honoured in her birth centenary year with an award being instituted in her memory. Known as ‘Shivani – Iron Lady of the Hills,’ the award was presented to research associate and assistant professor Ankita Jain. A cash reward of Rs 25,000 was presented to her to recognise her achievements as a prominent female author who writes in Hindi.
The day commenced with a session on myth and folklore in modern imagination led by author Smriti Dewan and Reshma Krishnan Barshikar, moderated by Saumya Kulshreshta. They delved into the allure of mythology, discussing the differences between mythology and folklore. A session on Hinduism in a global context – a path to pluralism and progress featured historian Hindol Sengupta and Deepankar Aron, with moderation by Milee Ashwarya. They explored the teachings of Vivekananda, the essence of Buddhism and the ideals of Raaj Rishi.
The highlight of the day was the session on the art of storytelling – films as dynamic literature with Imtiaz Ali and Sobhita Dhulipala, moderated by Ira Chauhan. Ali shared his approach to writing and filmmaking, emphasising the importance of reflecting the world as he sees it. Dhulipala added her perspective, emphasising the influence of literature on her storytelling, where books serve as the foundation and cinema as the paint that brings stories to life. Ali also took a theatre workshop and offered a fresh perspective to aspiring actors and theater enthusiasts, helping them understand how storytelling can transcend different mediums. The day also featured sessions by noted author and poet Ashok Chakradhar, poet Geet Chaturvedi, Swastika Mukherjee, Sreemoyee Piu Kundu, Atul Pundir and others, exploring various aspects of creativity, mental wellbeing, culinary arts and poetry.
Summing up the three-day literary extravaganza, festival founder and producer Samraant Virmani stated, “The Dehradun Literature Festival has once again provided a platform for intellectual stimulation and creative expression. It’s been a celebration of literature, art, and ideas, and we look forward to many more such enriching experiences in the future.”
