The origins of Yaanam, Kerala’s first travel literary festival, organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, date back to 2017, when the festival curator and author, Sabin Iqbal, pitched a festival, Books on the Beach, in Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, to promote the coastal town. Unfortunately, for some unforeseen reasons, the idea was shelved.
The Department has revived the concept, calling it Yaanam (meaning travel in Sanskrit). It is curated by Sabin and themed Of tales, trails and travel. The festival will focus on various aspects of travel, including writing, technology, opportunities, challenges, and more. It will be held at Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, from October 17 to 19.
Sabin envisions Yaanam as an annual roving festival, shifting locations within Kerala and bringing together writers and bloggers.
“In literature, travel writing or works about great journeys have played a big role. There are classics written on journeys. It has always contributed to cultural and literary development,” says Sabin. He remarks how travellers’ accounts are a critical part of history in an era without phones.
“Kerala owes much to the merchants and travellers who have come here, socio-cultural exchange that has enriched our language, cuisine, perspectives, and so on,” says Sabin.
He adds, “Apart from panel discussions and workshops, trails are planned around the cliff and to Kayalpuram, an under-explored backwater village in Varkala, to promote the destination.”
The festival will also attempt to understand how to grow the brand, in terms of visibility and marketing, says Sabin
Shehan Karunatilaka, Sri Lankan author who won the Booker Prize 2022, will attend the festival. Other speakers include poet Madhu Raghavendra, content creator Kritika Goel, journalists Binoo K John and Pallavi Aiyar, writers Ullekh NP and Anurag Mallick, entrepreneur Piya Bahadur, and others.
Entry for the festival is limited to 150 to 200 people, while the cultural events in the evening will be open to the public.
“The major challenge in organising such a festival is that it needs a planning of six to seven months,” says the curator, who has organised six editions of Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters. “To get the big names in travel literature, you have to chase them at least for a year. But, for Yaanam, we had only around a month to prepare. It is also difficult to get in touch with travel writers, because they are always on the move. We plan to start the preparations early in the coming editions.”
Registrations are expected to begin on October 10 through via www.keralatourism.org
Published – October 08, 2025 04:35 pm IST
