India: Lit pest

In the 1980s, lit fests were few and far between. Now, every city or town has one, or wants one: Palash Krishna Mehrotra

In the 1980s, lit fests were few and far between. Now, every city or town has one, or wants one. Many host two in a year. There are festivals in Varanasi, Bombay, Calcutta, Kasauli, Chandigarh, Goa, Trivandrum, Mussoorie, Bangalore and more. This is nice because the writer comes face to face with the reader in diverse settings and contexts. But these days it’s not just the writer who’s invited. At litfests one can find chefs, godmen, admen, film stars, filmmakers and TV news anchors.