Director's Letter

Resilience, expression, representation—three phrases that encompass what a literature festival datelined in a nondescript Indian village, for me, stands for. Over a very short time, Wayanad Literature Festival has earned the reputation as India’s largest rurally-held literature festival. It is organised in a panchayat, not even in a Taluk headquarters. Of course we have logistical challenges, but the merit of the festival, and the place it creates for the mixing of ideas, energy, craft, excitement, and everything that is beautiful in village life, makes it second to no other, and particularly no city festival.

Wayanad witnessed a devastating landslide this year, killing over four hundred people. A hundred people are still missing. We asked people whether we should drop the idea of the biennale literature festival. But the overwhelming response was not to do that, and to instead use the platform to discuss vital topics, like climate change, ecology and livelihood rights. This is so much in line with the old history of India—new ideas, values and visions always sprouted and became popular first in the peripheries and the margins of the nation, before reaching city centres and positions of power. The real power is where the people are, whether in literature, culture or politics. A literature festival in a village, therefore, is meaningful in very many ways, and more so, when the people struggle to come out of a tragedy.

For the 2024 edition, we plan to organise various other activities, including an arts and crafts fair, farmers' market, an international academic conference, a tech fest, film festival, book fair, and food festival. It is natural that a family, or a party of friends, have an eclectic mix of taste. The WLF is for everyone. If engaging with an author is not of interest, come watch a movie, or attend a masterclass by an actor, or taste a new dish at the food festival, or play a game of chess at the chess tournament, or examine a new innovation by young engineers. Literature lies at the centre of the festival, but the activities around it will complement each other.

You will see that our designers have used five colours for the festival: black, red, white, marigold yellow and green. Wayanad is a place of bold, solid colours. From fertile black soil to black pepper, black is the colour of its authenticity; from ripe red coffee beans to red laterite stone, red is the colour of its dreams; from light, pristine skies to cranes spreading their wings, white is the colour of hope; from marigold yellow turmeric to the marigold flowers that grow like weeds on the streets, marigold is the colour of love; and the many shades of green from forests to fields, from ponds to streams, stands for life itself in Wayanad. WLF captures it all.

Come join us. From content to craft to climate to colours, there must be something waiting for you.