A tradition of literary festivals

The biggest annual Kannada literary event is the All-India Kannada Sahitya Sammelana: it is held in a new place every year, and its scale is spectacular. The government expects eight to 10 lakh people to attend the 2022 sammelana.

Hosted by Kannada Sahitya Parishat, founded in 1915, it brings together writers from across the state, as also from outside, to deliberate on matters literary and cultural. The chairmanship is given to a writer of repute, and is considered an honour like none other. The panel discussions feature writers from diverse ideological backgrounds, and its poets’ meets and music events are a huge attraction. Every sammelana is also a jaatre, with hundreds of stalls coming up around the venue, and people flocking to catch a glimpse of their favourite writers, and perhaps even chat with them. Publishers and booksellers from across Karnataka witness brisk sales. The three-day gala festival culminates in resolutions that seek to draw the attention of the government to Kannadiga concerns.

A more recently instituted festival that draws Kannada literature lovers is the Dharwad Sahitya Sambhrama. Hosted in a city famous for its writers and classical musicians, it is highly acclaimed for how it is curated.

Kannada literary events are common in colleges across Karnataka. Some institutions conduct annual contests to encourage students to write. For example, the Christ College Kannada Sangha has a sterling record of finding and publishing new writers. Mysuru, Shivamogga and cities across Karnataka take pride in their Kannada literary events. Not all of them are three-day festivals—quick individual book launches take place all the time—but they do create a culture of literary curiosity and appreciation.