There was a mystic aura above; was it the weather, the changes, the uniqueness, or lack thereof? LitFest 2018, unlike every year, was not a smooth walk-in-the-park.
The transition of the theme colors from violet to orange would be the first thing that the regulars at the event notice. Generally, bright colors add cheer to the atmosphere, but it stood out like a siren, a warning. There were the usual panels, the overcrowded food court and the book fair; I immediately noticed more changes: how the central bookstore wasn’t the same as the last 7 years, and was much smaller.
I did end up staying till the end the first two days, breathing in the scent of fresh grass, buying occasional snacks and smelling the intoxicating parchment, but a connection had ceased. I had high expectations, as I always do, from my favourite literary event, especially since it might be the last time I get to visit Dhaka Lit Fest in case I move abroad.
The panels were seemingly well organised, but they were heavily burdened by political correctness (not limited to race, sexuality or gender).
Euphemisms were quite frequent, although they were presented candidly. There have been controversies making rounds on social media right after the list of panels and panelists was introduced, more so, because the panels were similar and dense. There was, thankfully, a heavy stress on #MeToo, Her Stories and many other condemnations against sexual violence, but no talk about a certain prominent photographer, or the bars on freedom of speech made it all seem like a fabrication.
Somewhere, a debate about a certain social media personnel became so prominent, that other pressing issues had lost their essence.
Truthfully, beginners would not even perceive these issues as problematic; folk songs, savouries and a day spent at bay from responsibilities are incentive enough for their welcoming.
Distracted by an internal dilemma, I got lured into an economic discussion titled “Crazy Rich Asians”, centred around the effects of globalisation on Asian culture and economy. The panelists Patrick Winn, Gwen Robinson, Chandrahas Chowdhury and Nisid Hajari referred to the book and the movie in moderation, as an example of what Asian economies have achieved over the years.
Gwen and Patrick discussed the mounting flourishing of fusion in pop cultures, making references to the rise of the Korean Pop Music industry and the growth of multiple cuisine specialists in every country. In a world where English is the standard of communication and the bridge that global literature walks on, is it too dramatic that cultures would thus infuse? Nisid’s observation, however, made it seem like an unprecedented side effect of colonialism, which coincides with the claims of audiences not being able to find seats at Bangla Academy’s auditorium due to their apparent reservation for foreigners, namely white people.
Usually, writers walk around the field and interact with readers, even host meet and greets! This time around, though, they were hardly without an organiser escorting them, let alone at leisure for small talk. The swindling concepts and a recurring glum made me feel out of place for the first time in that setting. Even through the cheers and adrenaline rush I had felt back there with my friends, I couldn’t help but dread, “Lit Fest doesn’t feel like Lit Fest anymore.”