Step into the enchanting world of words and ideas as The Hindu Litfest unveils its much-anticipated 2024 edition — a literary spectacle that transcends the boundaries of conventional book festivals. For nearly a decade, Chennai has been the epicentre of this literary whirlwind, with writers, novelists, artists, performers, and enthusiasts coming together to celebrate ideas that defy categorisation.
Conceived by Nirmala Lakshman, Director of The Hindu Group, this literary celebration is more than just a confluence of pages and prose; it is a jubilation of free speech and expression. From fiction to non-fiction, politics to history, arts to cinema, and regional literature – the festival is a kaleidoscopic exploration of diverse genres.
This year, the Lit Fest beckons literature enthusiasts with a diverse array of on-ground activities. One of the highlights this year will be the moonlight cinema. Lyca Productions, and Madras Talkies are partnering with The Hindu Lit Fest 2024 to screen Ponniyin Selvan 1 and 2 on Thiruvanmiyur Beach from 5pm on January 21.
Furthermore, the festival’s spirit extends to the streets with a Mobile Library of donated books. Flagged off by the Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Radhakrishnan from The Hindu office, this library on the move will traverse various parts of the city until January 27, offering books to eager readers from Anna Nagar to Besant Nagar and the central zone to Marina beach.
GSquare is partnering with The Hindu Lit Fest 2024 and will offer books to 30 schools across Tamil Nadu.
The festival will also conduct a range of workshops, curated to help readers hone their skills. Mini Krishnan, former Translations Editor of Tamil Nadu Textbook And Educational Services Corporation, will conduct a workshop on the art of Indian language translation on January 26 from 10.30am to 12.30pm. “The workshop will try to demonstrate that unlike writing an original work, the creator of a translation needn’t be a solitary creature. You can work with a collaborator, an editor, or the author herself,” says Mini.
Vibha Batra’s creative workshop for young adults (15–17 years) unfolds on Jan 26, 2024, from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. “Contrary to popular opinion, Gen Z isn’t all about smartphones, streaming and social media. Many of them love the written word, but they don’t know how to start. That’s where this workshop comes in. Peppered with practical advice, handy tips, creative writing exercises and real-time feedback, it aims to facilitate self-expression and help participants unleash their inner writer, assuring them that they, too, have a story in them, one that deserves to be told.” says Vibha.
Gayatri Nair from the Chennai Photo Biennale will be putting together a mobile photography workshop to help capture the essence of literature through the lens of your smartphone. “We will be focussing on composition techniques, portraiture, and editing on mobile phones” says Gayatri adding that the workshop is open to everyone.
Venture into the realm of conceptual art, metaphors, and symbols in the Visualising Poetry workshop. On January 27 from 4pm to .30pm, participants aged 15+ will create mixed media artwork inspired by Shilpa Gupta’s impactful installation, For In Your Tongue I Cannot Fit. Led by Nivedha Leoni, Head of Curriculum Design at RainbowFish studio, this workshop promises a unique exploration of poetry through art. “Participants will each get a verse from a poem written by a poet who was imprisoned or killed for their poetry. This will form the basis of the mixed media artwork they will create, guided by experts.” says Sara Vetteth, founder, RainbowFish Studio.
Book your slots for ₹799 and log on to our Instagram https://newsth.live/LitfestInsta for more details
The Hindu Litfest in collaboration with ACEnovation will be conducting a series of free storytelling workshops in schools in Anna Nagar, Kodambakkam, Adyar and Tondiarpet.
The Hindu Lit Fest 2024 is presented by GSquare, In Association with NITTE Education Trust, Christ University, Author Lounge Partner: VFS Global, Associate Partner: FIIT JEE, Bookstore Partner: Higginbothams, Food partner: WOW! Momos, Water Partner: Repute, Hospitality partner: Taj Coromandel, Chennai, Gift partner: Anand Prakash
