So, it was lit fest
again! This is one event I keep waiting for the entire year. I am neither a
very keen reader ( I want to be one) nor a fashionista ( I don’t mind becoming
that either) but I still love this festival to the core. I like the energy of it, I like the madness, I
like the vibrancy , I like that press terrace, I like the idea of soaking up
the sun while sipping that over priced tea, I like listening and taking notes,
so basically, I like everything about this five-day long festival. Though I
have attended only two editions of it but it seems like
never ending love and the best thing is I never attend, I always cover.
I was working in Jaipur itself when I covered lit fest last
year while this year I travelled all the way from Delhi. Last year it was for
daily newspaper that means I had to file back to back stories and this year I
was in Jaipur to do a crime (rape) story and I just happened to be at the fest.
But that doesn’t mean I didn’t file any stories this year. I did but that it
was really not the priority. I enjoyed both the editions but last year it was
more of work and less fun and this year it was the other way around.
The moment the bus entered Jaipur a voice said ‘ My Jaipur’
and those roads, lanes and forts actually reminded me of home. It felt like I
grew up in Jaipur and why not, after all I learnt many of life’s important
lessons there. I didn’t realise this while I was there and now that I am in
Delhi and I can confess it in front of anyone that Jaipur is as close to my
heart as Lucknow is.
Okay, so I reached Jaipur at 2 am and I took a cab and
reached my destination safely. This is something I just can’t do in Delhi.
Imagine taking a cab at 2 am in Delhi... Hell no. Next day I went to the venue,
met old colleagues (read friends) and left for the hospital where that rape
victim was struggling for life. I remember writing about that Delhi gangrape
victim and every time I would go to meet doctors, I would come back teary eyed.
But this time it didn't hit me that hard. Obviously I was feeling bad about
that poor little girl who was raped brutally by two men in Sikar but I took it
as a story just the way other reporters do. It took me entire day to speak to
her family and doctors and then I visited my old office and man it felt like I
never left! Same people, same ambiance the only thing that was new was that I
was actually happy to see some of the faces! I went to my favourite smoking
zone and bitched my heart out with my favourite people. From the office I went
to my PG and it felt like it was just another evening when I used to come back
from work and crash on that bed. It felt like I never left Jaipur and Delhi
never happened. It was just the way I left, same people, same rooms and same
me. I went out with my closest roommate and needless to say we had gala time
bitching about the person we both hate!
I went to JLF venue on second day, not to attend any session
or interview authors but to file my crime story! Yes, I needed a system to file
the story and that venue was just the right place. I was done with the field
work and all I needed to call cops for the quotes. I spoke to that SP and I was
done with my story by evening. I was really tired and headed to my Mausi’s
place where I was staying.
It was the third day and my Mausi had to go to somewhere out
of Jaipur, so I shifted to my colleague’s place who was also covering the fest.
I actually started
getting the feel of the fest by now. You will get to see awesomely dressed
people sitting and actually listening to the sessions. You will see a lady in
strapy short dress and the woman next to her will be wearing muffler and long
furry coat and you see best of boots here. You will get the stalls of city’s
best cafes and of course that evergreen Kulhar Chai and this year it costed Rs
20 per cup! But then you can’t help but sipping it every now and then. Yes, it’s
that awesome. Wine and Beer is for free, I remind you but that’s only for us
press people. Yes, there are times when I actually feel proud being a
mediaperson.
Okay, I listened to the sessions and I filed Rahul Dravid
press conference. After the session I went out with old colleagues and had some
heart to heart conversation about movies, love and yes men. Such a relaxed
evening that was. Now that I am back to that cluttered life in Delhi, it feels
like I was never away from it. Now that
I hastily run after buses and metros it feels like I never had those calm walks
on Jaipur’s road. Now that I sit alone with my coffee at some joint near my
office, it feels like as if I never went to that good old roof top restaurant
with those good old people. And while you are having the time of your life, the
thought that this time will soon fly never leaves you alone, nevertheless, you
never fail to enjoy every minute of that time.
I came back to that colleague’s place and performed some
awesome Mujra for her, yes it felt like fun decided to become a Vodafone pug
and follow me wherever I go!
It was fourth day and I was attending some more sessions and
interviewing even more authors. And I bumped into a blogger friend. We both are
from Delhi but it was in Jaipur that we met for the first time, such is JLF. In
the evening I went out again with two of my colleagues and yes we had fun again.
We came back drunk and had even more drinks. After bitching and nasty talks, we
crashed and woke up to a nice sunny morning sans hangover.
It was last day and we rushed to the venue. After the
sessions and interviews, with the glass of wine in my hand, I was recalling
those four days which was no less than a dream holiday . I left without saying
good bye to some of my friends, picked up my stuffs from that colleague’s place
and headed to my Mausi’s place again. I had an early morning train to catch, so
I slept like I am dead to the world. I reached Delhi with that sweet taste in
my mouth and a fresh mind and a happy realization that now I have not one but
two hometowns!