• TIP Special Correspondent, Jaipur

JAIPUR (TIP): Inaugurating the 16th session of Jaipur Literature Festival here, Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah on Thursday, January 19, said that writing is not just a form of resistance but it is also about resistance to distraction, neglect, and forgetfulness.

In his keynote address on ‘writing as a form of resistance’, the Tanzanian-born British author of 10 novels and Nobel Laureate in literature in 2021,  said, “It is a good way of describing what writing is. It sounds noble, brave and taking on whatever–resisting. But resisting what? Or what is it that writing is resistant to ? Or can there be resistance too ?”.

“It really is not about nobility or bravery alone. It is also about just working. And working at perhaps things which go on over time, rather than inspirations or sudden epiphanies”, he said. Probably resistance to forgetfulness, resistance to distraction and resistance to neglect were the three other forms of writing as a form of resistance, Gurnah said.

“It is resistance to neglect, to ensure that the things we care for, the things that are important, are not neglected, are not distorted by other narratives, are not pushed away by people who wish to inform us that the world is different from what all knowledge tells us”, he who has been professor of English at Cantt University, explained.

Above all, he said, “It is upholding those ideas and beliefs that we think are important and that we value. So if somebody says writing is resistance, those are the kind of things I think of, rather than necessarily fighting tyrants or necessarily standing on platforms and making powerful speeches to energize people”.

“Writing is a continuous process. This should be a part of your daily routine… While writing, don’t think that you have to become someone’s inspiration, or that you will get an award, or that you will ever be noticed. You just have to keep away from distractions. And that’s the truth… In the process you will find it easier to have thoughts and beliefs that are important and matter to you”, he suggested.

In the inaugural session the festival was opened with the melodious vocals of Sushma Soma, award winning singer of Carnatic music. Among others who addressed the inaugural address included Sanjoy K Roy, its producer & director, and two co-directors Namita Gokhale and William Dalyrymple. The magnificent and diverse programme for the much awaited 16th edition will as always feature some of the most celebrated and extraordinary minds of the world. It will display 21 Indian and 14 International languages with sessions spread across five venues.

The festival is hosting 350 speakers from across a vast array of nationalities, as well as recipients of major awards such as the Nobel, the Booker, International Booker, the Pulitzer, the Sahitya Akademi, Baillie Gifford, Pen America Literary Awards, the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature and JCB Prize for literature, Namita Gokhale, its founder co-director said here today.

JLF is featuring some of the greatest literary minds including Nobel laureate  Gurnah, international booker prize winner Geetanjali Shree, author and translator Daisy Rockwell, lyricist and author Gulzar, filmmaker and producer Onir.