“Was I really there, or had I just dreamt it all up one fevered afternoon?†says Jaishree Misra talking about attending the first edition of the Hay Festival in Thiruvananthapuram last year.
The author of ‘Ancient Promises’ admits she has always been a big fan of the Hay-on-Wye festival which began in the Welsh border town 24 years ago.
“I traipsed across from London many times as an eager punter, queuing up outside venues clutching my ticket and hanging at the door leading to the green room to catch the odd glimpse of a favourite author.
The idea of having Hay come to my hometown in Kerala and actually being invited to participate was, therefore, incredible.
I still look at the photographs of me chatting to Bob Geldof and his missus and tucking into a beach-side dinner with Simon Schama with a feeling of total wonderment,†says Jaishree. “The icing on the cake was an invitation to be on-stage at Hay-on-Wye six months later!â€
Literature lovers wait in anticipation as the curtains are about to rise on Hay Festival 2011. Renowned poet K.Satchidanandan who attended the fest last year and will also make his presence felt this time looks forward to “running into some outstanding writers one has read and never met, listening to their readings and talks, enjoying an intelligent panel discussions and being with young people who care for literature,’’ she says.