Pune to Host 5th Deccan Literature Festival: A Celebration of Literature, Poetry, and Art

Pune, 5th November 2024: The Dakani Adab Foundation is gearing up for the fifth edition of the Deccan Literature Festival, set to take place on November 16 and 17 at the Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir, Jangli Maharaj Road, Pune. Running from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on both days, the event promises a wide array of cultural and literary activities. Entry to the festival is free, but attendees are encouraged to pre-register on the foundation’s website due to limited seating.

Acclaimed actor and filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar will kick off the festival with an inaugural address on Saturday, November 16 at 11 a.m. The event will also be attended by distinguished guests like IAS officer Rahul Ranjan Mahival and former president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, Laxmikant Deshmukh. Mahival’s latest book, Jashn-e-Deewangi, will be unveiled during the opening ceremony.

Sharing details about the event, Jayram Kulkarni, Director of the Dakani Adab Foundation, expressed his excitement for the upcoming festival. “This year’s edition will offer something for everyone, from mushairas (Urdu poetic symposiums) to panel discussions, theater performances, and musical events. Our goal is to create a platform where both established and up-and-coming artists can showcase their talents,” Kulkarni said.

Festival curator Monika Singh highlighted the festival’s growing appeal. “In its fifth year, the Deccan Literature Festival has expanded beyond just Marathi literature to include Hindi and Urdu as well. We’re excited to offer a blend of poetry, theater, discussions, and live music, featuring well-known artists and writers,” Singh explained.

The festival’s first day will include a series of engaging programs. Following the inauguration, Mahesh Manjrekar will take part in an open interview segment titled Beyond the Lens, moderated by Milind Kulkarni. Later, actors Pankaj Jha and Dhanshree Heblikar will join a coffee-table conversation titled Tumhara Milna Zaroori Tha Tumhare Liye.

At 3:30 p.m., the Kavitecha Rangotsav (Festival of Poetry) will begin, featuring prominent Marathi poets like Dr. Pradnya Daya Pawar, Indrajit Bhalerao, and Neerja, among others, with Indrajit Ghule moderating the session. This will be followed by a theatrical performance of Final D.R.A.F.T. at 5:45 p.m., written by Girish Joshi and directed by Padmanabh Pathak. The evening will end with the Poetry of Youngistan program at 7 p.m., showcasing poets like Abhisar Shukla, Vineet Shankar, and Mujtaba Shahroz. The highlight of the day will be the grand Rang Mushaira at 8 p.m., featuring celebrated poets such as Rajesh Reddy, Shakeel Azmi, and Monika Singh.

Day two of the festival will commence at 10 a.m. with a performance of the award-winning play Chauthi Cigarette, written by Yogesh Tripathi and directed by Dhanshree Heblikar. At 12:30 p.m., popular author Durjoy Datta will engage in a conversation with Sudha Menon during the Love, Life, and Literature session. Following this will be a discussion titled Devi, Diya or She-Devil, featuring authors Kiran Manral, Tanushree Poddar, and actress Vibhavari Deshpande.

At 3:30 p.m., Marathi literature will take center stage with the Tridhara session, a dialogue between authors Monika Gajendragadkar, Sangram Gaikwad, and Krishnat Khot, moderated by Datta Gholap. Later, at 5 p.m., the festival will present Dastangoi, a storytelling session based on the Mahabharata, performed by Fauzia Dastango. The festival will wrap up with Mauko Kahan Dhoonde Re Bande…, a Sufi music performance by renowned singer Meer Mukhtiyar Ali.

With a diverse lineup of literature, music, and performance, the Deccan Literature Festival promises to be a cultural feast for Pune’s literature lovers.