Kumaon Literary Festival 2016

KLF is the first annual literary retreat festival of the country, held in a mountain village. It is also the country's first travelling literary event. A not-for-profit initiative, KLF brings together celebrated authors, respected thought leaders and opinion makers of the country to Te Aroha, located in Dhanachuli, an enchanting little village in the Himalayas. Blessed with pleasant weather, breathtaking views of the Himalayas, lush forests, enticing fruit orchards and charming people, Dhanachuli is a beautiful weekend getaway close to Delhi.

In 2016, the 5-day festival will first travel to Jim's Jungle Retreat (11th -13th October), a delightful, nature-friendly jungle resort located in the Jim Corbett National Park. The following two days (14th and 15th October), the festival will come back to Te Aroha.

The festival is conceptualised as an innovative and unusual event where rich and deep discussions are held over the five days in a relaxed setting.

Name of The Festival:
The word "Kumaon" is believed to have been derived from "Kurmanchal", which means land of the "Kurmavatar", the tortoise incarnation of Lord Vishnu − the preserver, according to Hindu mythology.

This hilly region of Uttarakhand shares a special relationship with literature, which is perhaps as old as literature itself. This strong bond between writers /poets and Uttarakhand exists even today, as there have been and still are many writers who belong to this place or have made it their home. Therefore, it was only natural to name the festival after the hill region of Uttarakhand.

KLF Framework:
KLF is built around an unconventional framework and format, one that sets it apart from all other literary festivals held in the country.
KLF is conceptualised as an institution with an eco-system comprising of initiatives, projects and activities that are not limited or confined to the 5-day festival. The institutionalised approach to the festival is aimed at maximizing impact and optimize on resources that will help in identifying hidden talent, open avenues and opportunities for writers and increase their access through translations and other means to a larger audience. This also ensures we have some measurable and tangible outcomes that are in addition to the festival. Three key projects that are part of KLF’s eco-system are: Fellows of Nature, in partnership with French Institute in India, Wildlife Trust of India and others; Women Unlimited Series, in partnership with United Nations Women; and Literary Bhagidari.
The Roundtable
The KLF Roundtable, a closed-door flagship event of the festival, is held on the sides of festival. Comprising of a diverse group of thinkers and writers (maximum of 30), the roundtable serves as an informed and independent voice that sets the agendaand debate in the world of literature, influences policies and practices around literature, and contributes towards the well-being of the society.

The Roundtable is like a think tank that discusses key literary and scholarly texts in order to generate new ideas and approaches to the study of literature and folklore. Attendance of the roundtable is by invitation only.

Vision
KLF is a literary festival unlike any other; one that strives to raise the bar and set high standards for the long-term benefit of the literary field; one that is looked upon as an institution in itself.

Set out in the following paragraphs is its key aims and aspirations. With its goals and roadmap for implementation clearly outlined, the festival will be gradually institutionalised so that it is not just a one-off event in a year.