Festival Schedule
Four days of literary excellence, cultural celebrations, and inspiring conversations
Qawwali: The Call of Hearts in Love
Qawwali: The Call of Hearts in Love explores the soul-stirring world of Sufi music through the lens of cultural revivalist Manjari Chaturvedi, in conversation with Devanshi Seth. Drawing from her book, which illuminates the forgotten histories of women in Qawwali and the spiritual essence of this mystical tradition, the session delves into themes of love, devotion, and transcendence. It reflects on how Qawwali dissolves boundaries—between performer and listener, human and divine—creating a shared experience of ecstasy, emotion, and enlightenment where every heart answers the eternal call of love.
Lights, Camera, Lucknow
Lucknow’s charm has long attracted artists, filmmakers and storytellers. From the grandeur of its historical monuments to the intimate corners of its old city, the city provides a rich canvas for cinematic and theatrical expression. The session celebrates this artistic heritage and contemporary creative energy. The session highlights the contributions of local theatre artists, filmmakers and performing artists who bring stories of the city to life, weaving realism, emotion and cultural depth into their work.
Tales We Carry
Stories shape us, travel with us and often outlive us. From myths and folktales passed down through generations to contemporary narratives reimagined for new readers, tales are more than entertainment — they are cultural memory, identity and imagination in motion. In this conversation, Reena Puri (Editor-in-Chief, Amar Chitra Katha), and Ashwitha Jayakumar (writer, Editor, Publisher) explore the stories we inherit, the ones we retell, and the new ones we create for future generations. Together in conversation with Arsh Ali, they reflect on how storytelling evolves across time while continuing to hold the power to shape how we see ourselves and the world.
The Hindi Heartland
The Hindi heartland—comprising Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh—is home to nearly 40 per cent of India’s population and wields immense influence over the nation's politics, culture, and identity. It has produced prime ministers, spiritual leaders, and reformers, even as it continues to grapple with poverty, violence, and entrenched social divisions. In her compelling new book, Ghazala Wahab explores these contrasts in depth. She is joined by Jayant Krishna—policy expert and thought leader with deep roots in the region—for a wide-ranging conversation with Jyotsna Mohan on the heartland’s history, challenges and enduring significance in shaping India’s present and future.
Ek Ghoont Kahani, Ek Boond Kavita
Stories have an ageless charm-the power to move, heal, and connect. In Ek Ghoont Kahani, Ek Boond Kavita, Ritesh Ranjan Sahai brings this timeless art alive through his inimitable style of storytelling, where the rhythm of the story blends with poetic nuance. His evocative narration draws listeners into a world where words breathe emotion and imagination flows effortlessly. Loved by audiences for his warmth and spontaneity, Sahai transforms every story into an intimate experience, one that lingers long after the last word is spoken.
Ritesh Ranjan Sahai
Tum Pukar Lo
Hemant Kumar's voice has long been a symbol of timeless grace melody in Indian music, bridging the golden era of cinema with enduring emotion and artistry. Tum Pukar Lo celebrates this legacy through soulful renditions by Sagnik Sen, whose voice captures the depth and warmth of Hemant Kumar's classics. With an evocative narration from Ajay Jain, the evening traces the journey of a musician whose songs continue to echo across generations, inviting listeners into a world of nostalgia, romance, and quiet reflection.
Lucknow ka Mediyapa
A dynamic conversation featuring Meenu Khare, Ranvir, and Arshana Anand —
voices representing print media, radio, and television.
In conversation with Prateek Bharadwaj, they delve into how these three
pillars of media have shaped, documented, and preserved the evolving history
of Lucknow.
A journey through stories, sound, and screens — and the city they all
continue to define.
Shauq-e-Lucknow
Shauq-e-Lucknow is a heartfelt ode to the city’s centuries-old passions patangbaazi, kabootarbaazi, paan and sher-o-shayari. This session celebrates the nazaakat (grace) and nafaasat (refinement) that make Lucknow what it is a place where every pastime is an art form and every art form is soaked in emotion. Here, conversations will flutter like kites in the sky, stories will soar like pigeons and poetry will blend with the aroma of fresh paan. This is Lucknow not in history books, but in living memory a city that breathes beauty even in leisure.
Rebels and Revolutionaries
Rebellions are not only fought on battlefields but also on the printed page. In Pratap: A Defiant Newspaper, Jyotsna Mohan traces the fearless journey of an iconic daily that challenged colonial rule, questioned authority, and gave voice to India’s freedom struggle. The story of 'Pratap' is also the story of journalism as resistance, of words wielded as weapons. In conversation with Shailvee Sharda, she reflects on rebels, revolutionaries and the enduring power of the press to shape history.
Poetic Whispers
Whispers turn into rhythms, and rhythms into verses that linger long after they are spoken. This session brings together voices that weave poetry both personal and universal—threads of love, longing, resistance and hope. With distinct yet resonant expressions, they create a tapestry of emotions that celebrates the timeless magic of verse and its power to move hearts.
Trin Dhari Ot: Sita's Veil
Poet and writer Anamika turns her gaze toward Sita with a tenderness that unsettles and illuminates, revealing the many-layered inner worlds that myth so often leaves unspoken. Through Nishtha Gautam’s graceful English translation 'Sita's Veil', these intimate cadences travel across language, retaining their shimmer of quiet strength. In conversation with Chandra Shekhar Varma, the writer and translator explore how stories rooted in antiquity continue to acquire new meanings, and how Sita—eternal, elusive, ever-evolving—speaks to us in the shifting light of our present moment.
Threads of Grace: Women Shaping Worlds With Words
Stories that stir, voices that resist, and words that refuse to be silenced—Monia Aljalis and Anindita Ghose bring all this and more to their writing. Aljalis’s Love in the Time of Political Climate and Ghose’s acclaimed debut The Illuminated explore identity, resilience, and the many layers of womanhood. Their works shimmer with both tenderness and power. In conversation, they trace the threads of grace, grit, and imagination that define their storytelling.
The Other Side of the Epic: Women Who Endured, Women Who Defied
Mythology often celebrates the valour of heroes, but behind every epic lie the untold stories of women who endured, resisted, and redefined their destinies. Alka Pande’s Devi and Her Avatars (2025), Anuja Chandramouli’s Ganga and Mohini (2020) and Koral Dasgupta’s Mandodari (2024) delve into these narratives, offering fresh perspectives on mythological women. Their works challenge traditional portrayals, highlighting themes of strength, resilience, and defiance. In conversation with Arsh Ali, they explore how these reimagined tales continue to inspire and resonate in contemporary times.
From Rainstorms to Rainbows: The Art of Deep Resilience
Life inevitably brings both rainstorms and rainbows. In moments of fear,
chaos, or despair, we often forget our innate capacity to rise, heal, and
flourish. In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Neena Verma—author of RISE:
The Deep Resilience Way—shares insights from her pioneering work on
the Resilience Mindset and the concept of Deep
Resilience.
Through personal stories, professional wisdom, and reflective dialogue with
Dr. Nishi
Pandey, she explores how we can recognise, kindle and nurture our inner
light, even in the darkest of times.
Mithaas: Kal Bhi Aaj Bhi
Lucknow's sweetness has always been its most delicious heritage — a symbol of celebration, hospitality and timeless tradition. From the aroma of desi ghee wafting through bustling bazaars to the delicate artistry of local halwais who turn sugar and milk into masterpieces, mithai in Lucknow is not just food, it’s an emotion that binds generations. Each sweet tells a story — of family legacies, festive rituals and the city’s undying love for taste and texture. This session is a tribute to that heritage. It brings together the iconic names and brands that have preserved the authentic flavours of Awadh while embracing the innovations of modern taste.
The Sound Tales
Music flows through the veins of Lucknow from the echo of ghungroos to the rhythm of tabla and the melody of raagas. The city’s musical heritage is a confluence of classical brilliance, folk energy, and soulful innovation. The Sound Tales celebrates this very essence bringing together artists who embody the city’s timeless harmony between tradition and modernity. This session is not just a performance; it is an exploration of how music continues to be Lucknow’s most eloquent expression of life, emotion and identity.
Stolen Words: The Hidden Cost of India’s Reading Culture
India's vibrant book market worth more than ₹7,000 crore loses an estimated ₹400 crore every year to piracy, a single statistic that reveals the scale of a problem eroding the foundation of our reading culture. From photocopied academic texts to indistinguishable counterfeit editions, piracy siphons value from authors, publishers and educators alike. They examine how these hidden losses shape publishing decisions, strain creative livelihoods and threaten the future of original Indian writing while exploring solutions for restoring integrity to the written word.
Ghat Rahi Hai Roj Meri Chehargi
In a voice that moves between memory and time, the conversation with Chandra Shekhar Verma around his collection Ghat Rahi Hai Roj Meri Chehargi feels less an interview and more a journey. Verma walks us through the fading light of days, the vanishing laughter of youth and the glimmer of poetry in moments of quiet reflection. He returns to the places that shaped him, to small towns and monsoon evenings where language becomes both witness and companion. Calm yet deeply felt, the exchange reveals a poet who meets impermanence not with sorrow but with tenderness and grace.
When Mirrors Are Windows. A View of A.K. Ramanujan`s Poetics
Poet, scholar and translator A.K. Ramanujan left behind a rich legacy that continues to shape Indian literature, linguistics, and cross-cultural studies. His work opened windows into the inner worlds of language, identity and tradition while also holding up a mirror to the complexities of modern Indian life. In this illuminating conversation, Guillermo Rodríguez Martín, cultural scholar and author of When Mirrors Are Windows, joins poet and academic Ranu Uniyal Pant to reflect on Ramanujan’s enduring influence and the many voices—personal, poetic and political—that reflect through his writings.
Chalchitra aur Samaaj
Cinema reflects us even as it shapes us—challenging ideas, sparking dialogue, and capturing the spirit of its times. With a career spanning stage, screen, and television, Rajit Kapoor has brought unforgettable characters to life while pushing the boundaries of storytelling. His journey is also the story of cinema’s dialogue with society. In conversation with Nishi Pandey, he explores how films not only entertain but also question, inspire, and transform the way we see ourselves.
Celebrating Umrao Jaan
A film that became more than cinema—it turned into a longing for a vanished culture, a teardrop in poetry, a dance etched in memory. Muzaffar Ali’s 'Umrao Jaan', edited by Meera Ali and Sathya Saran, is a collector’s edition that revives the 1981 classic in 4K, and peels back its layers with rare photographs, handwritten notes, costume sketches, calligraphic scripts and essays from legends. In conversation with Kaveree Bamzai, Muzaffar Ali & Alka Pande join Meera Ali to explore how Umrao Jaan remains a timeless mehfil where art, memory and beauty live on.
Revolutionary Voices of Lucknow
Lucknow has always been known for its tehzeeb, but today, it is equally known for its taqat the power of new ideas and changemakers who are reshaping the city’s social fabric. Revolution and New Leaders is a tribute to those voices who are driving transformation through courage, compassion, and commitment. These individuals stand as examples of how modern Lucknow balances tradition with activism, kindness with conviction and individuality with community.
Clash of Ideals: Myth and Modernity
A journey through the tangled crossroads of memory and modernity, this conversation with Sharad Bindal delves into the living pulse of myth in an age obsessed with reason. With the quiet authority of a storyteller and the curiosity of a scholar, Bindal unpacks how ancient tales—once whispered around firesides—continue to shape our moral compass and cultural imagination. The dialogue moves fluidly between the epic and the everyday, between the celestial and the human, revealing how myth refuses to die, instead reinventing itself in the modern mind—a haunting echo from the past that still murmurs our deepest truths.
Living Legacies: The Intangible Art of Awadh
In this richly woven conversation, a distinguished panel delves into the living spirit of Awadh where history lingers in gesture, melody and aroma. They explore how traditions born in royal courts and humble kitchens alike continue to shape the region’s cultural imagination. Through stories of music, cuisine, craft and community the session evokes an Awadh that is less a place than a state of being: graceful, syncretic and enduring. An ode to the unseen threads that bind past to present, this discussion uncovers the quiet power of heritage that still hums beneath modern India.
Scripted Realities: Mirror of a Streaming Nation
Stories are more than plots—they’re mirrors into our lives. Vaibhav Vishal (Scam 1992, Inside Edge, Rana Naidu and Gandhi) brings this belief to his work, crafting narratives that are sharp, human and refreshingly unformulaic. Moving between screen and page, he uncovers emotion and truth in everyday experience. In conversation with Somya Singh, he discusses the craft and choices that make stories truly memorable.
Un-/spoken: Writing Lives in Conflict
Drawing from Jamal’s Loal Kashmir: Love and Longing in a Torn Land and Dixit’s The Many Lives of Syeda X: The Story of an Unknown Indian, the session journeys from the conflict-scarred valleys of Kashmir to the migrant corridors of India’s cities. Together, they reflect on what it means to write from the margins—where love, labour, and survival become acts of resistance and storytelling itself, an unspoken rebellion.
The Myth of Mythology
Stories shape civilizations, carrying forward values, beliefs, and collective memory across generations. Few tools are as powerful as mythology in bridging the past with the present, and few storytellers bring these narratives alive with the depth and intensity. Author of The Hidden Hindu trilogy, Akshat Gupta’s work reimagines age- old tales for contemporary audiences, offering fresh perspectives while honouring timeless traditions. Through his books, he explores how myth continues to inspire, provoke thought and shape identity in today’s world. In conversation with XYZ, Gupta discusses the enduring power and reinterpretation of mythology in modern storytelling.
Tell All the Truth, Tell It Slant
Truth, like poetry, often arrives best in whispers and metaphors. In this evocative session, poet and author of ‘Singing Over Bones’ Amy Singh and storyteller Wamiq Saifi explore the many ways truth finds form through words, images and silences. Together, they reflect on how art transforms honesty into beauty, how memory and metaphor shape perception and how creative expression allows us to approach truth from the edges rather than the center. From verse to visual narratives, the discussion opens a space where vulnerability meets craft and where the unsaid often speaks loudest. In an age overflowing with noise, this session invites you to rediscover the power of telling the truth — beautifully, obliquely and with heart.
The Tigmanshu Effect
In this evocative conversation, the maverick storyteller Tigmanshu Dhulia sits down with Gaurav Prakash to trace the arc of a remarkable creative journey—one that bridges the rough-edged realism of the heartland with the grand sweep of cinematic imagination. From the feverish politics of Haasil to the haunting heroism of Paan Singh Tomar, Dhulia’s work stands as both chronicle and critique of modern India. Expect an evening steeped in memory, myth and the music of language, as he reflects on his inspirations, his method, and the restless spirit that drives him to continually reinvent the grammar of Indian storytelling.