Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], November 21 (ANI): The fifth Shillong Literary Festival 2025 commenced on November 20, the place eminent authors, columnists, and artists converged on the iconic Ward’s Lake of Meghalaya’s capital metropolis, Shillong, presently draped in pink Cherry Blossoms.
The setting supplied the right backdrop for literary lovers, marking the start of three days of literary brilliance and inventive dialogues.
The opening day witnessed the presence of a number of the most distinguished literary and cultural figures of the area and the world, together with Booker International Prize-winning author Banu Mushtaq; internationally acclaimed Spanish writer Francesc Miralles; Sanjoy Hazarika, Sam Dalrymple, Jerry Pinto, Prof. Desmond Kharmawphlang, Malvika Banerjee, Sonal Jain, Dennis Laishram, Patricia Mukhim; and a number of other celebrated native writers corresponding to Streamlet Dkhar and Valden John Pariat.
Their presence lent immense gravitas and inventive vitality to the inaugural ceremony.
Stating that internet hosting the Shillong Literary Festival has turn into a ritual, Vijay Kumar D., Commissioner & Secretary, Tourism Department, mentioned, ‘This has spawned an entire motion of engagement in faculties, faculties, and establishments. The ranges of curiosity in literature, conversations, and poetry – this competition has been capable of spawn all of this. I’m certain the competition might be an enormous success, and we sit up for the conversations, the interactions, and the authors who’ve come from far-off.’
‘A request from our aspect – please take our tales to the world. And to all of the younger folks of the state who’re right here, this competition is for all of you. Everything the federal government does, all these fantastic occasions, are for the younger folks, in order that you’ll be able to leverage these alternatives and create nice issues for yourselves and for the state,’ he added.
Terming the Shillong Literary Festival as a Festival of Imagination, Banu Mushtaq, Booker International Prize-winning writer of Heart Lamp, mirrored on town’s artistic spirit.
‘To stand in Shillong at present looks like strolling right into a web page that has been quietly ready for me. The metropolis of music and delicate hills has all the time lived within the Indian creativeness as a spot the place tales breathe simply. I’m honoured so as to add my very own voice to that panorama. This competition, right here in these hills, is a reminder of how deeply tales join us,’ she mentioned.
She added, ‘As we start this celebration, I hope we enable ourselves to wander into unfamiliar narratives, to pay attention with endurance, and to think about with braveness. Let these subsequent days be crammed with conversations that shock us, phrases that problem us, and tales that keep lengthy after we return dwelling.’
Sharing his bond with India and his expertise within the area, Francesc Miralles, internationally acclaimed Spanish writer of Ikigai, mentioned, ‘I really feel very honoured to be in Shillong for the primary time. I’m simply discovering this stunning area, however I’m very hooked up to India in my relationship with writing books. I used to be a writer and a translator of books; I studied German language and literature. But it was throughout my first journey to India in 1998 that I made a decision to turn into a author. Without India, I might by no means have written books.’
Malvika Banerjee, Curator of the Shillong Literary Festival 2025, expressed her delight at returning to Ward’s Lake after 4 years. She described it as an honour to curate the competition and shared her hope that the viewers would benefit from the programme, thoughtfully crafted over the previous months.
She highlighted the distinct privilege of curating the Khasi and Garo programmes this 12 months, acknowledging the steerage she acquired from a number of contributors.
‘When I first got here in 2021, I heard a Garo Poet; I did not know her identify. She recited a poem, and it was so stunning when she recited the interpretation. So, I assumed we should always have these poems- these voices, as a result of that is Shillong- that is the center of Meghalaya. And if we do not have these classes right here in these languages, then simply bringing outdoors voices and even having classes simply in English, with locals, is not going to actually symbolize the state,’ she mentioned.
Day 1 of the competition additionally witnessed the launch of three books- ‘Wad Shwa La Ka Tynrai’ by Streamlet Dkhar (famend Khasi poet and author), ‘Songs of Our People’ by Anurag Banerjee (author and researcher) and ‘Is She Wise’ by Monica Thomas, Gladinia Pyrtuh and Anthony Durpui (authors and cultural documentarians).
The launches mirrored the variety of voices and the rootedness of the competition within the native literary panorama.
The day continued with a fascinating session the place Francesc Miralles, in dialog with Prof. Desmond Kharmawphlang, mentioned the Japanese lifestyle that impressed Ikigai. This was adopted by a dialog with Sanjoy Hazarika and Preeti Gill, exploring his journeys and the genesis of the Dibrugarh boat clinic undertaking.
A reflective phase on myths and reminiscence unfolded via ‘Puri – The Shape of Water,’ after which a reside drawing session by Dennis Laishram, readings by Valden John Pariat, and a dialogue by Rosy Chamling and Hoihnu Hazel introduced ahead the richness of Himalayan folklore.
A particular session on the bilingual kids’s guide Is She Wise featured its authors in dialog with Moushumi Dey, highlighting Biate folktales and the knowledge of ladies. Another highly effective session titled ‘Heal The World’ introduced collectively Jerry Pinto and Dr. Neena Verma to debate empathy, grief, psychological well being and palliative care.
A dialog between Sam Dalrymple and Cyril V.D. Diengdoh explored the 5 partitions that formed fashionable Asia, as detailed in Shattered Lands. Later, Banu Mushtaq engaged with Patricia Mukhim on her award-winning assortment Heart Lamp.
The night closed with a session titled, ‘Making Khasi Literature Travel,’ that includes Streamlet Dkhar, Bandarilin Bairo, Alfidarie Kharsyntiew and Smti Basilica Nongpluh, who mirrored on translation, literary platforms and the way forward for Khasi literature.
The day ended with a soulful musical efficiency by artists of the Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project, celebrating the musical expertise and inventive vibrancy of Meghalaya’s youth. (ANI)