Today was a repeat of yesterday. (Do read yesterday’s post if you haven’t already!) I was in a tuk-tuk on my way to attend the literature festival. (Btw, you must forgive me people if I am late in replying to comments or visiting your blogs. My hours are rather full till a couple of more days!)

When I mentioned my destination, the driver wanted to know what was happening there. What did I tell you in my previous post? Some people are chatty.

‘Is there some function happening there?’ Mr Driver wanted to know. I told him it was a gathering of writers. Other prominent people too. But he had lost interest. He was not interested in writers, I could see. May be he was not the kind who liked reading.

That reminds me. Yesterday I sat through a conversation between an author and a politician. It was quite interesting. People have this perception that politicians do not read, the author remarked. Yes, the politician nodded, I have heard that too. But politicians do read. I myself am a voracious reader, he added

An interesting story came out of this discussion. Apparently, someone from the northern part of the country once wanted to know what politicians where doing at literature festivals in Kerala. We ourselves would be hard put to find anyone suitable to attend a festival, let alone talk, they are supposed to have added. You see, none of them are readers.

I am sure that’s a generalisation. But then I do know what they mean. Books and reading are not everyone’s forte.

The other day I happened to be talking with a classmate of mine who works in a state up north. I informed him about the upcoming events, and mentioned that I had already booked tickets. I am always an early bird. What?!! he responded. You have tickets for literature festivals over there? He explained that when he helped organise one where he stayed, he had to work hard to have a decent number of people turn up.

This is Kerala, I replied. Here people come on their own volition. They don’t mind having to pay for entry either.And I was/am right. There were people everywhere on both the days I attended. May be some venues had more than others, but they were there alright. And the ten to fifteen minutes towards the end of the hourly discussions/conversations that is open to the audience always had people asking questions and interacting intelligently with the panellists.

Yes, let me reiterate, this is Kerala.

©️ Shail Mohan 2024