India, Oct. 13 -- Every October, the sleepy town of Kasauli wakes up from its torpor and prepares for its social gala masquerading as a LitFest. Yes, the Khushwant Singh LitFest, held at the venerable Kasauli Club, where even the hedges seem to whisper memories of the sardonic Sardarji whose name adorns the festival headline. And as with all grand Himalayan theatre, it's never quite just about books.

The organisers ensure the festival's guest list is "appropriately diverse". This means panels of serious intellectuals, obviously, but also a sprinkling of nubile ladies, serving as visual garnish to whet the appetite of the ever-hopeful Punjabi male demographic. After all, nothing says "literary festival" quite like someone wandering past i...