The seventh edition of the IME Nepal Literature Festival started on Saturday, December 22, at the bank of Fewa Lake opposite Ratna Mandir in Pokhara.

Starting with a discussion between actors Manisha Koirala and Rajesh Hamal around the former’s book Healed: how cancer gave me a new life, which was launched prior to the discussion, the first day of Nepal’s premier lit fest saw chats around a range of subjects from the Nepali modernist novel Aaja Ramita Chha and Sarubhakta’s Pagal Basti to the art of graphic memoir and the curious, often bumpy, relationship between the editor and writer.

The festival started with a welcome speech by Hemraj Dhakal, executive director of the event’s title sponsor IME Group, which was followed by speeches by CEO of Nepal Tourism Board Deepak Raj Joshi, Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari, author Sarubhakta, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, and journalist Hari Bahadur Thapa.

Among the day’s panel discussions, authors Manjushree Thapa and Krishna Dharabasi came together to talk about the legacy of late Nepali language novelist Indra Bahadur Rai, as moderated by Kedar Sharma; Sarubhakta, Ganesh Poudel and Tirtha Khaniya discussed the landscape of Pokhareli literature since the former’s seminal novel Pagal Basti, as moderated by Kumari Lama; Kanchan Budhathoki and Nicola Streeten discussed the art of the graphic novel.

Moreover, in a discussion titled Uncertain Journeys, AS Panneerselvan, Janak Sapkota, Sabrina Toppa and Ramyata Limbu discussed issues concerning labour migration in South Asia; journalist and novelist Narayan Wagle and columnist Khagendra Sangraula discussed the relationship between an editor and columnist; and Kunda Dixit and Mohammed Hanif talked the latter’s novel Red Birds. The day’s proceedings were wrapped up with stand-up comedy performances and discussion involving Seema Golchha, Aayush Shrestha and Shailee Basnet.

The fest over the upcoming three days will feature a roster of renowned writers from Nepal and abroad. The fest will continue till December 25.