Shillong: Shillong hits the books this fall. The sixth Shillong Literary Festival takes over Ward’s Lake from November 12 to 14. Expect three days of readings, cultural shows, and debates.
Organizers are pushing local talent through a new project called First Bloom: Discovering New Writing from the Northeast. The contest offers a 75,000 rupee purse. The winner bags 50,000 rupees while the runner-up collects 25,000 rupees.
Before the main event, the city hosts career workshops on October 26 at the State Convention Centre. Literary agent Kanishka Gupta leads the morning session from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm. Authors Mitra Phukan and Lalnunsanga Ralte take over from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. These sessions focus on career opportunities in literature.
The festival already kicked off with a curtain-raiser at Bikaner House in New Delhi. That event featured actor Naseeruddin Shah, Pulitzer winner Suparna Sharma, and journalist Shekhar Gupta. Organizers said the festival is "bringing together writers, thinkers, artists, and readers for three days of literary discussions, readings, and cultural performances."
This year focuses on the folklore and oral traditions of the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities. It blends these local roots with international works. Past stages have hosted heavy hitters like Vikram Seth, Shobhaa De, Shehan Karunatilaka, Banu Mushtaq, and Francesc Miralles.
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