Curating and organising a lit-fest is no mean task, especially if the organiser is a residents’ association of 320-odd members, without huge funds or an army of volunteers.
Come February 23, when the curtains go up on the second edition of Festival of Thought, Thripunithura’s Kottakkakam Residents’ Association (KRA) would have pulled it off twice. This is probably the only residents association to have done this in Kerala. Like last year, the venue is Kalikota Palace, one of the many heritage structures that dot Thripunithura.
Rather than limiting the definition to a literature festival, the organisers introduce it as a festival of thoughts. Conversations pivot not only around books but also experiences, setting it apart from other literature festivals. While not all speakers are associated with writing or reading, they do come with a wealth of experience.
Guests, such as Padmasri recipient social worker and educationist Satyanarayanan Mundayoor, are often low profile and seldom seen in the literary circuit. Known as Uncle Moosa or Uncle Sir, he has been promoting reading and spreading education in Arunachal Pradesh for the past 40 years. Pramod Varma, former chief architect of Aadhaar, eSign, DigiLocker and UPI (Unified Payment Interface) besides an integral part of the country’s digital health, vaccination and immunisation infrastructure Co-Win and DIVOC, will participate this year.
“People with profiles such as Mundayoor and Pramod Varma set us apart. We did not set out to do it, it is serendipity that these are our speakers!” says journalist K Pradeep, KRA member and a part of the organising committee.
When, in 2023, KRA was planning a series of events to commemorate its 25th anniversary, a literature fest was not the plan, says translator and poet Prasanna Varma. “A series of year-long activities were being discussed when the idea of a festival of literature came up. With the blessings of the members, we decided to go ahead,” she adds. The focus, last edition, was on children’s literature with sessions for on literature for children such as reading, cartoons and drawing caricatures. This time the organisers are expecting a larger turnout.
Speakers, sessions
The inauguration will be preceded by a tribute to the late writer KB Sreedevi who passed away in Thripunithura in January, 2024 by author Thanuja Bhattathri. The inauguration will be at 10am by NS Madhavan. The 14 sessions will be spread over two days begin at 10.30am. Among the participants who will be part of the sessions are writer NS Madhavan, critic NE Sudheer, social worker/educationist Satyanarayanan Mundayoor, actors Ramesh Varma and Sneha Sreekumar, writer MN Karassery, critic KC Narayanan, lyricist Sasikala Menon, Pazhayidom Namboothiri, danseuse Rajashree Warrier, musician Kottakkal Madhu, poet P Raman, musician Sreevalsan J Menon, cartoonist M Mohandas, and caricaturist Sajjive Balakrishnan.
The highlight of Thripunithura’s cultural calendar is Vrischikolsavam, the annual festival at Sree Poornathrayeesa temple in December, which draws crowds from in and around Kochi. Prasanna hopes that KRA’s Festival of Thought also becomes a joyous celebration that draws people, especially the youth, as well as a platform for discussions and exchange of ideas. “Participants don’t have to be the ‘reading kind’. The youth should feel that there is a space for open discussions, a place where they can talk about anything,” she says.
The ‘festival of thought’ will cover a range of topics — literature, music and dance, science and technology, food, theatre, and cinema. The one book-related session involves four Thripunithura natives whose books were published last year. Almost all the mediators are local.
The sessions and speakers come about organically, based on access and speakers’ schedules; the topics evolve over discussions between the speakers and the organisers. “There’s just one mandate — no politics. It is tempting to call politicians because some are exceptional orators and will also draw crowds, but that is not the point. Firstly, if you want to listen to a politician speak just watch prime time television and secondly, people have different political views…we don’t want friction!” states Pradeep.
Finding funds and space have been a challenge. Many cultural programmes take place in Kalikota Palace, which does not have the space for multiple stage events. It is a reason why M Parthasarathy’s solo performance, Ooninu Oru Anna Mathram, based on Cherukad Govinda Pisharodi’s story is the only performance that will be take place as part of KRAft.
The venue will also host book stalls by Mathrubhumi. The organisers hope that next year they can include more venues around Thripunithura and include more events. With an eye on bringing in more of Thripunithura into the lit-fest, the plan is to add a heritage walk connecting venues so that “the visitors can soak in the atmosphere!” Pradeep adds.
The organisers are happy that they have been able to pull off for two years in a row. Among the praise that has come in following the last edition was that this should be an inspiration for other such residents’ associations.
Going forward, what are their ambitions for KRAft?
“We aim to be bigger with more money in sponsorships, a larger space and a lot more people attending!” Pradeep and Prasanna say laughing.
