India, Feb. 28 -- A literary pilgrimage akin to the Mahakumbh was how the annual Jaipur Literature Festival was described during the inauguration ceremony. Though, over the years, it has spread across the globe with a presence in cities (primarily encompassing the Global North) such as London, Houston, New York and Toronto, JLF has become an intrinsic part of the urban fabric of Jaipur. Every winter, authors and attendees travel over great distances to be a part of the mega event, and this year was no different.

The programme, as always, had a diverse mix that included eminent literary figures like VV Ganeshananthan, Charlotte Wood, Jenny Erpenbeck and Geetanjali Shree, Nobel laureates like Venki Ramakrishnan and Esther Duflo, celebritie...