Fourth episode of Mountain Echoes
The popular literature festival of Bhutan ‘Mountain Echoes’ is set to manifests its fourth episode in one-and-half month’s time. The festival will be held on Thimphu on 9-11 August. Sponsored by household manufacturing company USHA, the festival is an India–Bhutan Foundation Initiative to Promote Literature, Art and Culture in and From Bhutan.
However, the last year’s episodes saw many creations in English and Hindi while the many local languages spoken in Bhutan including Nepali (that only has script other than national language Dzongkha).
A statement on 26 June reads, “The festival is set to bring forth the rich culture and heritage values from myriad aspects such as art, music, cuisines, literature, tourism etc.”
The Chief Royal Patron of the festival is Her majesty – the queen mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck. The program directors are Namita Gokhale and Pramod Kumar KG.
“The festival shall encapsulate various forms of discussions on varied topics like fiction, sports, democracy, women’s issues, civil society, digital rights, environment and wildlife etc. The empanelled persons will discuss many forms of storytelling (short stories, ghost stories, stand-up comedy, folk tales), plays, popular fiction, travel writing, creative non-fiction and graphic art,” the statement reads.
The presenters and discussants for this year are Amish Tripathi (Author of the Shiva Trilogy), Dasho Kinley Dorji (non-fiction writer), Dolma Roder (Anthropologist from the Regal Ogyen Choling family), Dr. Imeada Yoshiro (Lecturer, Researcher, Author), Dr. Karma Phuntsho (Teacher, Buddhism and Bhutan Studies), Jerry Pinto (Author, Journalist, Poet, Children’s stories), Kelly Dorji (Actor, Owner of an art gallery in Bhutan), Lyonpo Om Pradhan (Bhutan’s Ambassador to Nepal, India, Author, Chairman Druk Holdings), Manju Wakhley (Social Entrepreneur), Namita Bhandare (Author, Freelance Journalist, Editor), Namita Gokhale (Director of the Jaipur Literature Festival and Mountain Echoes, Author and publisher), Rahul Bose (Actor, Rugby Player and Founder, Anti-Discrimination NGO), Siok Sian Dorji (Founder Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy), Sudha Shah (Biographer of Burma’s last King), Tarun Tejpal (Journalist, Publisher, Novelist, Tehelka), and Tshering Tashi.
Expert Conservationist and knowledgeable wildlife enthusiast writer Saad Bin Jung will be a star attraction; playwright Mahesh Dattani, Indian graphic artist and creator of Kari, Amruta Patil, Andrea Caprez and Christopher Schuler the Swiss graphic artists whose works bring images to life will also be presenting at this festival.
Speaking about the role of women in media, the festival accommodates sessions from Malvika Singh (Author, Associate Publisher, Femina), Barkha Dutt (Journalist, TV host, Editor NDTV) Mrinal Pande (Author, Journalist, TV personality) and Sathya Saran, (Journalist and biographer) who can share their varied experiences of their profession. Other speakers include Lily Wangchhuk (Politician, Former Diplomat, Founder of Bhutan Cancer Society, Author), Ani Choying Drolma (Singer of Hyms, Author of Singing for Freedom), and Aparna Sen (actor, flimmaker, script writer) who come from completely different fields.
The celebration of art and culture will be intensified further as Princess Kesang Choden T. Wangchuk of Bhutan will share her knowledge of Art. Jane De Suza (author), Kunzang Choden (Bhutanese Author), Paljor Dorji (environmentalist, writer on Bhutan’s iconic species), and Sudha Shah will be panellists for this year’s festival.