In keeping with the SAARC Agenda for culture which envisages the diversity in culture needs to be acknowledged as varied experiences are reflected in the richness of cultural expression, the SAARC Cultural Centre organized a 3-day Literary Festival in Bhutan. The Festival was an open forum for writers as well as literary critics to discuss the current status of South Asian Novel and to indulge in exploring the unique cultural tapestry of the South Asian novel. It included presentations, book reviews, lectures, discussions and book reading sessions.

The SAARC Literary Festival, on the theme ‘Traversing the Cultural Contours through South Asian Novel’, was held at the SAARC Forestry Centre, Taba, Thimphu Bhutan from 18 to 21 December 2013. Delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka participated in the Literary Festival.

The Director of SAARC Cultural Centre hosted the Welcome Dinner on 18 December 2013 at Hotel Phuntsho Pelri. Dr. Sanjay Garg, the Convenor of the Literary Festival, welcomed the Delegates. After the introduction by the Delegates, Mr. Syed Shamsul Haq of Bangladesh made an introductory presentation.

Inaugural Session was held on the morning of 19 December 2013 with the patronage of HE Lyonpo Damcho Dorji, Honourable Minister for Home and Cultural Affairs. The Festival stated with the Marchang Ceremony that was performed by reverend monks to obtain the blessings of the deities for the event.

Welcome address was delivered by the Convenor of the Literary Festival and Deputy Director (Research) of the SAARC Cultural Centre, Dr. Sanjay Garg. In his address, Dr. Garg outlined various initiatives taken by the SAARC Cultural Centre so far for promoting the literature of the region. He gave a background of the launching of the annual Literary Festivals, which are conceived as a platform for the authors, writers, poets and others engaged in the field of literary creation in the region, which will also bring together other stakeholders such as publishers, film-makers, translators, animators, etc. who serve as a vehicle for the dissemination of literary works.

Then the Chief Guest, His Excellency Lyonpo Damcho Dorji, Honourable Minister for Home and Cultural Affairs to addressed the gathering. The Honorable Minister warmly welcomed the Delegates to Bhutan’s capital city, Thimphu. In his address the Honorable Minister remarked, Culture and novels are synonymous in the sense that without culture there can be no novel. Novels reflect our imagination and our sensitivity toward the human condition and the whole society itself.  Novels embody the unspoken thoughts of their writers, and are the direct reflections of experiences, emotions, and outlook that have deep roots in – and also echo- the socio-cultural setting to which the writers belong. He elaborated the need to safeguard novels in South Asia as it is a linguistically diverse, with multiple ethnic groups, cultures, religions, castes and colours, and this diversity also finds reflection in the region’s literary heritage.

The Keynote Address was delivered by Mr. G.L.W. Samarasinghe, one of the most eminent Sinhala authors in Sri Lanka who has authored more than 50 books, including 8 novels, 20 translations and 4 social reviews. Mr. Samarasinghe’s Keynote address focused on the historical development of Literature in South Asia and the need to safeguard its rich heritage.

The Literary Festival included four Country Panels, namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka. In the country panels each delegation presented the historical developments and current status of literature in their respective countries.

Participants and moderators for the respective country panels were;

Prof. Syed Manzoorul Islam, Ms. Selina Hossain and Mir Jahurul Islam presented on the country situation of novels in Bangladesh. The session was moderated by Dr. Pratibha Ray (India)