Authors and activists 'leave' no stone untouched at the Green Literature Festival

Explore environmental narratives at Green Literature Festival. Graphic novels, conservation insights, and award-winning books. Join the conversation on sustainable development.

on Nov 27, 2023

Authors and activists 'leave' no stone untouched at the Green Literature Festival | Frontlist

The third edition of the one-day Green Literature Festival (GLF), held on Saturday at Century Club in Cubbon Park, featured notable authors, environmentalists, and campaigners. The event was a literary celebration with an emphasis on the environment.
Some of the themes discussed during the one-day event were the conservation of less popular species, the loss of biodiversity and landscapes, green entrepreneurship, and the problems of the publishing industry.

Benedict Paramanand, the festival's creator and director, gave the opening address. Padma Shri K Ullas Karanth ascended the stage after an invocation dance to deliver the keynote lecture. The tiger expert and conservation zoologist talked on the topic 'Hope for Wild Nature in Emerging India'. In a session titled 'Landscapes of loss: Livelihoods in Peril,' a panel consisting of Stephen Alter (author), Aparajita Datta (scientist at the Nature Conservation Foundation), and Yuvan Aves (writer, naturalist, educator, and activist) discussed their field experiences. Meghaa Gupta, GLF's head of Young People's Programme, moderated the discussion.

Stephen pointed out that, in addition to erosion and the loss of a biome, the construction of the Tehri dam over the Bhagirathi River led in another significant loss: the inhabitants' story. "The river was an important part of their folklore and history." Every tree, rock, and river in the Himalayas has a story to tell. So the loss of a landscape is felt on many levels," said the author, who has lived in Mussoorie for most of his life.

Aparajita emphasised that transferring locals from animal reserves to enhance conservation requires a 'context appropriate approach'.

"The location is an important part of the local culture." They are well-versed in the jungle. "It's fascinating to learn about their knowledge of the forest and their methods of coexistence," she said. It is harmful to relocate people without considering their relationship to the land, she continued.

In another session titled 'When pictures speak: Telling green stories through graphic narratives,' graphic novelist and author Amruta Patil and writer and illustrator Priya Kuriyan walked the audience through the conceptualization and creation of their well-known works. Amruta provided details about her graphic novel Kari, which is set in Mumbai and follows Kari, who helps society by unclogging drains. Priya described how she came up with the children's book — Beauty is Missing — which is about an old lady who is heartbroken after losing her buffalo, Beauty.

The GLF Honour Book awards ceremony brought the day to a close. A Green Economy-India's Sustainable Development received the 'Business Book of the Year' award for NR Krishnan, and Searching for the Songbird won the 'Children's Book' category for Ravina Aggarwal. Stephen Alter's Birdwatching won the award for general fiction and nonfiction.