Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Oct 19: The Co-Founder, Kumaon Literary Festival, Asha Batra, today said that the main objective of the festival being held in Kashmir is to change Kashmir narrative and the perception of people outside.
He spoke exclusively to Excelsior on the sidelines of the two days festival being held at SKICC in Srinagar.
Q: What is the Kumaon Literary Festival?
Asha Batra: Kumaon Literary Festival (KLF) is a traveling literary festival that goes to places across India. We focus more on places that do not have mainstream literary festivals so that people get a space to talk. We come along with authors who meet and train budding authors.
Q: What is the objective of the festival being held in Kashmir?
Asha Batra: When we talk of Kashmir, certain things come to our minds that instil fear. People who want to write about the other side, which is attractive, have not been able to do that and at the same time, the people who want to come here, have got several doubts in their minds. Through festivals like this, we want to change the perception of people outside and that’s why we are here. The narrative of Kashmir has to change because we have been for a long seeing Kashmir through a particular prism and if that continues any longer, it will annihilate this beautiful place.
Q: Is it about providing a platform to talk freely?
Asha Batra: Yes. People need a medium where they can talk; no doubt there is a side of this place that is disturbing but keeping that aside, there is a lot that is beautiful and needs to be talked about. If we focus more on the other side, then I think that the disturbing side will automatically get side-lined. All we want is to talk about culture; we want to connect people and don’t want to make them fight. Apart from that, we are aiming to create learning opportunities for the youngsters, which are a must, and now that we are here, we will get to see the interest, people will reach out to us and after that, we will bring along the authors and will try to conduct workshops for them. All we want to do is make people write their stories and have a moment of catharsis; to let it all out.
Q: Were people willing to visit Kashmir for KLF?
Asha Batra: This has happened for the first time and those we approached for the literary festival, they were prompt and responded positively. They were eager to come. It is also true that there has been a factor of fear which has been keeping people away and that is what needs to be worked on because in the end, humans have got the basic foundations of love and if this foundation has been corroded over the time, there is a need for taking the necessary measures to clean it up, and that is what we are intending to.
Q: How do you see Kashmir these days, any changes?
Asha Batra: I feel things are changing in Kashmir; Kashmir is, in a way changing as a whole. People are tired and everyone now wants to come out of it; out of what they have been witnessing for decades because that is what has been shaping up the mindset of people. It is a beautiful place. People are very nice, but there sure is something in between which creates barriers: the difference in perception. We see them through a different prism and they too see us differently, but that will be set right with time, with love, and with understanding. At the same time, it is also true that there has been a one-sided portrayal of the stories in Kashmir because the media has the power of doing what it wants to, but things are changing due to social media, it has become more democratic. Things are becoming clearer.
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