This Is The First Edition Of Sikkim Arts and Literature Festival; Here’s All You Need To Know

For a long time, the topics of arts and culture have been bringing together people of different backgrounds and ages to experience the rich cultural traditions, and to explore new and exciting ones. More often, regional arts and culture festivals have been a great way to appreciate and acknowledge the local artistic and literary landscape. And now, the state of Sikkim is on its way to hosting the first Sikkim Arts and Literature Festival- Khangchendzonga (SALF).

The First Edition Of SALF

For its very first edition, The Government of Sikkim’s new initiative, the Sikkim Arts and Literature Festival – Khangchendzonga (SALF) will be held in collaboration with Teamwork Arts. It’s the same producer of the popular Jaipur Literature Festival.

The literature festival is to be held at the historic town of Yuksam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from 6 to 8 May 2023. Better known as the gateway of  Khangchendzonga National Park, the backdrop works as an effort to focus on climate crises and the need for environmental awareness and positive action.

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Arts & Programmes

The programme will celebrate the literary landscape of the region while addressing important local and global concerns, including climate change, wildlife conservation, and biodiversity, history, culture and ethnicity, poetry, architecture, folklore, mental health, writings from the North East, fiction, young adult literature, and more.

A lineup of well-known speakers will be there. Hoihnu Hauzel, journalist and writer from Manipur; Ankush Saikia, Shanghai Writers’ Association’s 2018 fellowship recipient;  Rosy Chamling, academician and writer; Moushumi Kandali, author, bilingual short story writer, art historian; Shobhaa De, celebrated Indian author and columnist, and more will also be participating in the festival.

The programme will also feature some celebrated artists such as Harpreet, who sings original musical compositions in Hindi, as well as in Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Rajasthani, and Haryanvi; Bipul Chettri, an Indian singer-songwriter who sings in the Nepali language and plays Himalayan folk music with a contemporary touch and many more.

Local performers from Sikkim will also take the stage. India’s Northeast is a treasure trove of stories, lore, art and layered history. Through its first edition of the Sikkim Arts and Literature Festival, Sikkim is leading this unprecedented flowering of literature here and showcasing it across the globe.

Where: Yuksam, Sikkim
When: 6 to 8 May 2023

Cover image credits: Website/Sikkim Tourism India