Edited by: Pragyna Divakar (UG 2020)
It would be hard to find a person who does not love their city but it is rare to find other people who love your city the way you do. Such was my experience when my friends returned from their trip to Jaipur, my city, as I proudly call it. The Pink City, as it is popularly called, has many attractions for which people from all across the globe set their foot on its land, but the major attraction in the month of January is the Jaipur Literature Fest. The fest draws many literature enthusiasts as they not only get to hear from some of their favourite authors but also get their books signed. Believe me, if you are a reader, nothing compares to the happiness you feel when you get your copy of the novel signed by the person who wrote it.
The list of speakers for the fest was wide including Javed Akhtar, Markus Zusak, and Manisha Koirala. Every year, the committee picks up a trending theme on which the sessions are based. Gender Equity was one of the major themes of the 4-day fest this year, which was held from the 24th to 28th of January, 2019. Jaipur Literature Fest also aimed at answering questions pertaining to artificial intelligence and the role that science plays in our lives. Like any other festival, it is not a one-way show; it is also an opportunity for young writers to present their work to a wider audience. Every year, Jaipur Literature Fest selects a few budding writers and gives them a platform to show their writings to a larger group.
The entire city is filled with a different kind of magic and enthusiasm every year in January. Despite the cold weather, people turn up in large numbers to listen to their favourite authors. But not all is good about the festival. As they say, every coin has two sides; even the participants of JLF have a flip side to them. While there are people coming from different parts of the world to listen to those who changed their lives, there is also a group who come to the festival for social validation and to take pictures in the Jaipur landscape. It is not hard to find teenagers who visit JLF for the mere sake of taking pictures in front of the aesthetic decorations. There was a lot of joy and excitement in the air but people like me who could not be a part of this celebration felt left out when they opened their social media and saw the beautiful decor of JLF, some of the best speakers on the stage and the music concerts. Yes! Jaipur Literature Festival is not all about literature, they have their musical concerts too. All I wanted was for some magic that could transport me to Jaipur and make me a part of the experience and not just an observer.
Jaipur is a major attraction for tourists but JLF is not the only reason. Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort – from where, it is possible to see the entire Pink City, – the famous Jal Mahal, Hawa Mahal and many others, bring people to the city. Apart from the historic beauties, the famous Pyaaz ki Kachori and the lassi, make the visitors go mad. People love it to such an extent that they might miss a visit to one of the historical attractions but they won’t leave without having dabbas of Rawat, with the Kachori inside it.
“If you go to Jaipur, definitely go to Tapri”, – I would not be exaggerating when I say that this is one sentence that every Jaipurite would say to their friends or relatives visiting Jaipur for the first time. Tapri is one place that is always crowded in every weather, at all times, on all days. It is hard to find one factor which makes Tapri what it is and it is harder to pick a favourite dish. What started off as a small stall is now 4 cafes in all 4 corners of Jaipur. No combination of words can explain the feeling you get when you are sitting in your hostel room and you see your friends posting photos of your favourite dishes from your favourite restaurant and all the other places that you associate with your home. But at the same time, nothing can beat the feeling of pride you have when your friends return from your city with nothing but praises.
You may hate your city for different reasons but you cannot not feel proud when an outsider praises your home, your city.
All images have been retrieved from Google Images.