KLF: DAY ONE
FESTIVAL ON THE BEACH SIDE
A literature festival by the beach sounds really magical and exciting. The Kozhikode Literature Festival (KLF) is held on Kozhikode beach, which is not just a beautiful location but also has a lot of history. The beach is close to the Arabian Sea and is a tribute to Vasco da Gama’s explorations and famous writers like Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and Uroob. Kozhikode, once part of the Malabar region, is a perfect place for a cultural gathering.
After a two-year break, the organizers are happy about the great response to this year’s KLF. The festival has grown a lot, with over 400 authors and guests, 250 sessions, cultural programs, and international visitors. They want to attract a wider audience, including tourists and students, and the festival is open to everyone.
If you love literature and are visiting Kerala, you might also enjoy the Kochi Muziris Biennale, and the International Film Festival of Kerala. These events contribute to the state’s rich cultural heritage. This year’s KLF will have notable people like Nobel Laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Ada Yonath, Booker Prize winners Shehan Karunatilaka and Geethanjali Shree, and others like Wendy Doniger, Jeffery Archer, Sudha Murthy, Prakash Raj, and Kamal Hassan. There will be special sessions for children with award-winning authors and illustrators, aiming to encourage reading and creativity in kids.
Attendees can enjoy sessions with Wendy Doniger, Arundhati Roy, Abhijit Banerjee, and more. The festival covers diverse topics like impact on modern trends , interactive sessions with Piyush Pandey, storytelling, and craft workshops for children. Jeffrey Archer will interact live with readers, making the event even more special.
For those with limited time in Kozhikode, the organizers suggest visiting Adam’s Chayakada for breakfast, shopping on SM Street, exploring Mananchira Park, and trying the famous biryani at Paragon restaurant. The day can end with a beautiful sunset experience at the beach, where the festival hosts cultural programs.- WILLIAMSJI MAVELI
