Five top tips for enjoying Jaipur Literature Festival 2016

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Pink City to light up again with the 9th Jaipur Literature Festival

It is that time of the year when literature fever is high and excitement is building for the biggest ever line-up at the 9^thZEE Jaipur Literature Festival. From January 21 to 25 January ZEE JLF will transform the beautiful old Grand Diggi Palace Hotel in Jaipur into a carnival of minds as the greatest writers, thinkers, journalists, historians, poets, novelists and musicians from around the world gather together under the same roof. The literary extravaganza welcomes visitors with its lush green lawns, steaming masala chai and a chilly morning breeze. There are numerous reasons to enjoy your visit, so if you are planning to come to Jaipur in January next year for the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival here are some tips for an enriching experience with a pinch of royalty.

Immerse yourself in stories

With a great line-up literature enthusiasts are in for a treat. This year promises an eclectic mix of writers including popular names such as the legendary Margaret Atwood, poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, and environmental activist; Ruskin Bond, beloved to generations of Indian readers; Steve McCurry, one of the world’s greatest living photographers; controversial Harvard historian Niall Ferguson and Britain’s national treasure Stephen Fry.

The ninth Festival has a number of themes running through various sessions which address vital issues such as migration and privacy, bringing together a range of expertise and perspectives. Indian writers take centre stage at the festival and a number of sessions will celebrate the rich diversity of languages in South Asia as well as the rich oral heritage of Rajasthan.

Get up, close and personal with your favourite authors

Want to lunch with literary heavyweights? Celebrate the success of the Festival with your favourite authors at the Writer’s ball?

While the Festival is completely free and open to all, booklovers can grab a golden opportunity to interact with literary heavyweights by buyingthe special delegate pass, visiting as a ‘Friend of the Festival’. In addition to sharing the lunch table with other delegates and authors at Diggi Palace, you can experience the evening music every night and round off the Festival dancing the night away at the Writer’s Ball. With the delegate passyou have access to exclusive extra sessions at royal forts like Amber Fort and HawaMahal. ‘Friends of the Festival’ can also take up special festival discounts on their accommodation at select hotels.

Don’t miss the music!

ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival hosts several cultural and musical nights at historic monuments and grand hotels around the city. Always a popular part of the programme, the Festival has already announced renowned Malian musician Fatoumata Diawara for 2016.

‘Sip’ your way through sessions

What better way to enjoy those overwhelming after-session moments and discussions than while sipping on famous Pushkari chai. Kachori and samosa stalls on the Front Lawns will satiate your mid-day hot snack cravings. And all of this will be served with added Rajasthani warmth.

Take home some Rajasthani magic

Alongside your enriching experience at the royal retreat, the Diggi Palace, explore the nearby cluster of magnificent forts, museums and palaces while visiting the pink city. There is also a regal shopping experience awaiting you with a wealth of antique jewelry, traditional jootis and fabrics. Famous for its flavours the city offers foodies much to relish in its Lal Maas, Dal Batti, Kachori and other Rajasthani cuisine.

These are just five hints to help make your trip the most vibrant and exciting possible. If you wish to get up close and personal with the ‘Friends of the Festival’ delegate pass please register here

Writers and Festival Directors William Dalrymple and Namita Gokhale invite authors from across the globe to take part in the five-day programme set against a backdrop of Rajasthan’s stunning cultural heritage and the Diggi Palace in the state capital Jaipur.Equity and democracy runs through the Festival’s veins placing some of the world’s greatest literary minds, humanitarians, historians, politicians, business leaders, sports people and entertainers from all walks of life on stage together. This free and egalitarian access to these renowned thinkers and writers is powerful statement in a country where access to such individuals remains a privilege of few. The ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival provides a potentially life-changing opportunity for audiences from Rajasthan, across India and the world to learn from and exchange ideas with contemporary literary stalwarts.

Website: http://www.jaipurliteraturefestival.org