Sikkim Art & Literature Festival to celebrate literary landscape of the region

The inaugural Sikkim Art & Literature Festival will honour the region's literary landscape while also addressing local and global issues. 

The literary initiative by the state government and Teamwork Arts will host authors Anand Neelakantan, Anuja Chauhan, Shobhaa De, Ankush Saikia, United Nations Resident Coordinator for India Shombi Sharp, and child mental health expert Amit Sen, among others, beginning May 6 in the Sikkim town of Yuksom. 

Climate change, animal conservation, history, culture and ethnicity, poetry, architecture, folklore, mental health, and works from the North East will all be discussed over the course of three days.

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"The artistic and literary treasures of Sikkim are deeply ingrained in India's cultural matrix, and the first landmark edition of this Festival will open them up for the entire country and beyond to explore and partake of," said Sikkim Chief Minister PS Golay in a statement. 

Hoihnu Hazel, a writer-journalist from Manipur, will also attend the event, as will novelist Manjiri Prabhu, art historian Moushumi Kandali, Nepalese poet Nawaraj Parajuli, and biochemist-writer Pranay Lal. 

The event will also feature performances by singer Harpreet, Himalayan folk musician Bipul Chettri, Rajasthani folk-sufi music ensemble Kutle Khan Project, and Sikkim's native artists. 

"We are excited to announce our first North East festival, SALF, which will bring together local writers and artists with national and international writers, thinkers, and artists." "By selecting one of the most pristine world heritage sites, the Khangchendzonga National Park, as our primary location, we are continuing our effort to focus on climate crises and the need for environmental awareness and positive action," Sanjoy Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts, explained. On May 8, the Sikkim Art & Literature Festival will come to a close.