Hyderabad Lit Fest was a carnival of creativity

Since Friday, Vidyaranya High School played host to nearly 150 artistes, writers, filmmakers and scholars who took part in the Hyderabad Literary Festival. Be it poetry, cinema, art or photography, there was something for everyone . Australia was the guest nation at this year’s festival and Malayalam was the guest language.

The three-day annual event saw a host of panel discussions on topics ranging from environmental issues and history to politics and feminism.Workshops, movie screenings, poetry readings and story-telling sessions were aplenty at the event that was free for people of all ages and backgrounds. The open mic was a crowd favourite on all three days as budding artists from Hyderabad got a stage to showcase their talent. Hyderabad Times gives you a glimpse into all that you missed out on if you did not get to experience this year’s HLF firsthand.

Kids did not miss out on the fun
Interactive art pieces that peppered the venue were a huge attraction for the kids. They were seen penning down poems, thoughts and memories in a giant scrapbook that also brought out the artists in some as they picked up sharpies and pens to draw. At the open art session, there was no stopping the kids
as they had fun splashing colours.

There was something for everyone

With stalls selling everything from T-shirts to books to snacks, HLF 2020 was a lively three-day affair at Vidyaranya High School that saw students, teachers, artists, photographers turn up to listen to discussions, participate in open mics and watch screenings of documentaries.
Paradise for bibliophiles as book stalls galore at this year’s hlf

It was a field day for book-lovers as multiple stalls at HLF were stacked floor to roof with books on various genres. Books authored by the speakers at HLF were favourites among the
festival-going crowd who later also got the opportunity to get their copies autographed by the author.
There’s no stopping artists!

At a live art station, creations of differently-abled artist Sunil Kumar flew off the shelves as a crowd of people gathered around the other artists who were at work
A picture is worth a thousand words

There was something to see in every corner as the alleys and corridors between various venues were lined with art installations and photographs. Avani Rai’s photo gallery documenting the Bhopal Gas Tragedy drew a lot of attention from the crowd whereas the award-winning photographs by various artists displaying the range of human desires made most people stop and stare.
HLF was a great platform for budding and established artists
As an aspiring filmmaker, HLF was an enriching experience because of the various literary and film experts I got to listen to. The best thing was the range of topics that were covered in nukkad nataks, shayari sessions and documentary screenings. — A Avinash, festival-goer

Festivals like HLF go a long way in promoting arts. It exposes the public to undiscovered genres of art. I am glad to have showcased my Nakashi art this year. I hope this display will generate interest in this art form that is almost unknown outside Cheriyal. — D Vaikuntam Nakash, National Award winning artist