A blaze of sound, dance and of course the writers

By Adilah Ismail

View(s):

Built by the Portuguese, fortified by the Dutch and gentrified by a melting pot of cultures over the years, the Galle Fort provides a history-steeped atmosphere which easily lends itself to a festival which abounds with books, conversations, history and culture.

Minoli Salgado

This year, the Galle Literary Festival emerged from the ashes of its hiatus with new sponsors and a new award to reward Sri Lankan writing in all three languages.

Its affiliation with the much lauded $50,000 DSC prize for South Asian Literature (previously held at the Jaipur Literature Festival for the past few years) was the final feather in its cap.

The much-awaited festival ceremonially opened on Wednesday with the Beating Retreat by the massed bands of the Sri Lankan Army, Air Force and Navy.

With sections of the bands elevated on two platforms on either side of the Law Court Square, the band’s musical might and military precision cut an arresting figure against a canopy of trees forming an embroidered lace of leaves against the dusk.

It was an eye-catching and energetic cultural show presented by the Prime Minister’s Office, Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development.

Dances re-enacting battlefield scenes, fire eaters, harvesting songs, masked dancers and dance forms from all parts of the island were on display at the cultural show by artists and members of the army.

Geeta Ramanujam and Bec Lyons

The welcome dinner for the fest was a private affair at the Akersloot Bastion, overlooking the sea and was scattered with local and international writers and participants.

Writer and historian Tom Holland was busy balancing books, bails and bats duringhis visit to Sri Lanka, combining two of his twin passions.

At the dinner, he had just returned from playing a cricket match, the only vestiges of his day visible in his light tan. “I’m feeling my age,” he lamented, grappling between equal parts exhaustion and excitement.

The Authors XI Cricket Club of which Holland is a part, describe themselves as a “wandering cricket team of writers” and was revived after a century-long hiatus.

Founded in 1892 and including star-studded literary members such as P.G. Wodehouse, Arthur Conan Doyle and J.M. Barrie, the cricket club now brings together the seemingly divergent worlds of cricket and literature.

The Authors XI Cricket Club has been touring Sri Lanka and also includes Anthony McGowan and Sebastian Faulks, who attended the festival’s opening.

Over the hum of conversation, waves and jazz, academic and story teller, Geeta Ramanujam entertained a group with a quick story – complete with animated gestures and varied voice modulation – proving her story telling prowess.

In a corner, Nayomi Munaweera and Shyam Selvadurai catch up while Jeet Thayil, Tishani Doshi, Omar Musa and Rohini Mohan pause their conversation to oblige for a quick picture.