The sixth edition of Nepal Literature Festival kicked off on Friday at the Nepal Tourism Board in Pardi, Pokhara. The four-day event will see more than 100 authors and littérateurs from Nepal and South Asia engage in 30 panel discussions ranging from issues such as gender equity and politics to economics and literature. The fest was inaugurated by littérateur Dhruba Chandra Gautam.

“Only if we engage in discussions and debates can we cope with the changing world.

The days where one would write books by staying isolated are gone. Discussions and debate have become essential and can help us generate ideas,” Gautam said.

The festival kicked off with author Prabha Bhattarai’s recital of poet Lekh Nath Poudel’s poem. 

The first day of the festival saw educationist Kedar Bhakta Mathema deliver a key note speech. Mathema expressed his concern regarding our education sector being plagued by political wrangling. “We should prioritise quality over anything else,” he said.

Day one of the festival also saw six panel discussions where Indian historian Ramchandra Guha engaged in a conversation with journalist Kanak Mani Dixit on the topic, “Democrats and Dissenters”. Meanwhile, journalist Sujit Mahat, Member of Parliament Rabindra Adhikari, and Executive Director of Buddha Air Birendra Bahadur Basnet chaired a panel entitled, “Pokhara: Abako Parikalapana” (Pokhara: Imagining the Future). 

The festival also saw littérateurs Dhruba Chandra Gautam and Khagendra Sangroula speak on the topic, “Alikhit Sambaad” (Unwritten Dialogues), at a session moderated by journalist Devendra Bhattarai.

The day also featured a music performance by the duo Rambhakta Jojiju 

and Binod Baniya. The sixth iteration of the festival will continue through January 30.