KOZHIKODE: With all stages packed with youth discussing literature, films, music and everything under the sun, the third edition of the Kerala Literary Festival (KLF) has proved that like the International Film Festival of Thiruvanant-hapuram, KLF has successfully carved out a space among the young Malayali crowd across geographical barriers.
Students, activists of all hues, artists, anarchists, atheists, literature enthusiasts, people with long hair, clean shaved head, bearded, long bearded, took part this year in the colourful pageant which was on the theme ‘No Democracy Without Dissent’.
“The number of youngsters has increased since the first edition of KLF”, said KS Anand, a third-time volunteer of the festival. “In the last two years, the information on the nature and conduct of the festival has seeped into the young populace”, he added. Groups singing folk songs and dancing on the beach to the tunes of bands were a common sight.
According to poet Satchidanandan, the director of the festival, apart from the militant rightwing’s proponents, the venue was open to all sections. On the controversy over the denial of space for leaders as well as writers of the Sangh Parivar organizations, Mr Satchidanandan said on Saturday that it was not a deliberate act, rather the others opted out.
Adv Swapna Parameswarath of Punarjani, a women’s collective, told DC that the venue had become an annual meeting point for progressive minds. “Rather than literature this year, it has achieved the status of the venue of resistance and dissent”, she said. “I feel the event has already achieved the status of what the International Film Festival has achieved in Thiruvanant-hpauram”, she pointed out.
Many of the participants feel that there should be more shades as by evening it is tough to sit as the rays of the setting sun hit the audience. The venue on the sandy beaches of the Arabian coast is one of the best locations I have ever seen,”, said Atul Varma. “Hope by next edition, things would be better”, he said.
