Captured by : PC Goa arts and Literary Festival - Narayan Pissurlenkar
The seventh edition of the Goa Arts and Literary Festival (GALF) promises to be bigger, better and diverse, as all festivals should be year after year. At the International Centre Goa (ICG), the staging ground for the festival, Yatin Kakodkar of ICG and Damodar Mauzo and Vivek Menezes of the Goa Writers Group, the curators of GALF, maintained that the values that were laid down those seven years ago are still being upheld, year on year. “We have grown from strength to strength,” says Kakodkar, who had spoken to The Goan Everyday at length only recently.
There are many unique aspects to GALF, which is jostling for space on India’s literary map and with just cause. This festival has seen an organic growth, a rolling stone that is gathering more and more moss as the years roll by. The festival has always prided itself on working on new ideas or fortifying old ones. This year, the emphasis on regional literature is stronger. “We want to bring parts of our country together,” says Kakodkar, referring to the many authors across the country who write in their local languages and will be given pride of place at GALF this year. Damodar Mauzo claims that the focus on regional languages this year will be very obvious. “There is a feeling among many “basha” writers that no consideration is given to them. That is just not true,” he asserts. That is why there will be writers in a multitude of languages “ Asomiya, Hindo, Urdu, Malayalam, Tamil, Bangla, Marathi and Kannada. Writers like Utpal Barua, Shafey Kidwai, Benyamin, P Sivakami, Nabandeera Dev Sen, Vivek Shanbag and many more. Along with the regional writers, GALF will also see the Dr Ambedkar lectures continuing and since there is also a strategic tie-up with the North East Council, which means that there is great representation from the seven sisters, the group of seven states that is often considered to be marginalised by other parts of the country. For children, GALF has something special every morning, starting from December 9 to December 11. There will be events for children, with poets and writers of children’s books coming in.
Since this is not just a literary festival but one of the arts too, GALF has something special for those who love art. One of the greats Laxman Pai, will be unveiling a special painting that he created just for GALF. “There was a generation of great painters in the 40s in India. One of the last of them, still living, happens to be a Goan. Laxman Pai’s latest work of art will be the special unveil at the opening this year, since we do not light a lamp but unveil our official artwork on the inaugural day.
The inaugural will be held at Maquinez Palace on December 8 at 4.30 pm. GALF will then be held at the International Centre Goa in Dona Paul from December 9 to 11.
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The inaugural at Marquinez Palace as well as the sessions at the International Centre Goa is open to the general public. Entry is free. Register at www.goaartlitfest.com
