ZIRO, 24 Sep: The 5th Ziro Literary Festival (ZLF) began at St Claret College, Ziro (SCCZ) here in Lower Subansiri district on Tuesday, bringing together an eclectic mix of creativity and intellectual discourse.
The two-day festival, being organised by SCCZ and PWLO Entertainment, in association with the district administration, with the theme, ‘Celebrating creativity for all’, is a calendar event, held in line with the Ziro Festival of Music (ZFM).
For the first time, the event took place in an outdoor setting, adding the experience of the festival and creating a vibrant and immersive atmosphere.
This year’s festival boasts a rich lineup of panel discussions, interactive workshops, and talks designed to inspire students. Notable participants include authors, journalists, and filmmakers who contribute to thought-provoking exchanges.
Attending the inaugural ceremony, Lower Subansiri Deputy Commissioner Vivek HP hailed the festival’s commitment to fostering creativity and providing opportunities for students to engage with literature, arts, and culture.
He encouraged the participants to actively take part in various discussions, workshops, and performances, highlighting the importance of such events in nurturing young talents and promoting intellectual growth in the region.
The first day of the event started with a talk by Urvashi Butalia on ‘Changing the narrative on women’s writing and publishing’. This was followed by an insightful conversation with Dream Machine’s Appupen and Anand Ramachandran on ‘The relationship between comics and gaming’.
A panel discussion on ‘All things gaming: Storytelling, design, development, and the future’ brought together Anand Ramachandran and Loyievi Vikennao, led by Sameer Pitalwalla.
The day also included a discussion on ‘Overcoming drugs, loss & adversity: The journey of a small-town band in India’ with the Teesta Troupers, moderated by Karma Paljor.
The creative mood of the festival was further enriched by a poetry session titled ‘I think I can join the big mountains’ by Siddhartha Menon.
Earlier, as part of the event, a series of workshops were organised as build-up events at the college.
These workshops were designed to foster creativity and enhance the practical skills of students, aligning with the festival’s theme.
The outcome-based workshops spanned a variety of creative disciplines, including storytelling, poetry, and filmmaking. The resource persons provided students with hands-on experiences to develop their artistic and literary skills, contributing to their overall personal and professional growth.
These sessions, held in the run-up to the festival, were instrumental in preparing students to actively engage in the main event, enriching their participation in the literary and cultural discussions at the ZLF.
The first day culminated with enthralling live performances by Saniya MQ from Mumbai and the Teesta Troupers from Kalimpong.
