BENGALURU : In the midst of a fast-paced urban landscape, Bengalureans still find solace in books. As we peel back the layers of this literary affair, we discover that Bengalureans don’t merely read, they immerse themselves in narratives, cultivating a culture where stories become an integral part of the city’s identity.
To celebrate the love of Bengaluru with the literary world, the Bangalore Literature Festival started with its 12th edition on Saturday.From children to adults, BLF saw a crowd of a whopping 15,000 people coming from different parts of the city. With over 300 Indian and international authors at the festivals, literary nerds and enthusiasts got the opportunity to buy new books and get it signed by their favourite autographs.
Among the crowd was Sruthy Tressa, 21, a resident of Bellandur, who was visiting a literature festival for the first time. With a stack of 10 books of various authors in her bag, Sruthy said: “I’m glad that I could meet different authors who talked about different genres and backgrounds. I was always a picky reader, now I’m open to read any book without restricting myself to one genre.”
The book lovers, along with their friends and family, explored bustling bazaars and exhibits, engaging in enriching panel discussions and talks by authors and experts. With more than four stages with various panels and authors discussing many genres, topics of literature and books, visitors had the time of their life.
This year’s festival saw many prominent authors hosting panels to talk about their experiences and have literary conversations. Abraham Verghese, American physician, author and Vice Chair of Education at Stanford University Medical School, talked about a physician’s perspective on life and the epiphanies that come along with it.
Other speakers included retired English cricketer Mike Brearley, Tamil writer Perumal Murugan, author Sudha Murthy, actor Huma Qureshi and novelist Dr Kavery Nambisan. The twoday event at the Lalit Ashok hotel on Kumara Krupa Road will conclude on Sunday.