It's that time of the year

Photo: Darshan Chakma

Hay Festival is back in town for its fourth year in a row, featuring yet another line-up of some of the greatest minds the world of literature has to offer. Be a part of the magic as the festival unfolds on the historic grounds of Bangla Academy today. Join celebrated writers William Dalrymple and Syed Shamsul Haq on the lawn, as PEN International's President John Ralston Saul inaugurates the three-day long festival.

The diverse list of participants just on day one ranges from an intrepid traveler to a freedom fighter to the world's finest editors, journalists and critics. In “Cities”, young novelists Rana Dasgupta, Javed Jahangir and Somnath Batabyal talk about capitals, big money and globalisation, and award-winning historian Patrick French recounts his extensive body of work on South Asia in “The Great Adventurer”. Take a seat at the Cosmic Tent where Selina Hussein contemplates the world of short stories, or stroll over to BotTala and hear languages nearing extinction before they are lost forever. Eminent journalists from The New Yorker and LA Times discuss the future of journalism “In the Age of the Aggregator”, while editors from Bloomsbury and Random House share what they look for in new writers in “Lessons from the Slushpile”.

The book festival sets off in style, with new releases by Aamer Hussein, Asif Farrukhi, Neeman Sobhan, Javed Jahangir, Salil Tripathi and Drik. For the lover of poetry, there are countless sessions throughout day one, including “Powerful Voices” featuring Iranian-born poet Mimi Khalvati, “Revisiting Razia Khan” with Kaiser Haq, and “Without Borders” where Urdu poet Fatema Hassan and French-Indian poet Karthika Nair recite from their works. End the day with an evening of delightful music and song, as Vidya Shah takes us back to the splendour of a bygone era.

Unwind and connect with your spiritual side on day two with “A Love Divine”; listen to the beautiful devotional songs of Gofur Hali, and the mystical verses of spiritual transformation at BotTala. Indian politician Shashi Tharoor and critically-acclaimed novelist Zia Haider Rahman discuss their multiple identities in “Past Lives”, while Aamer Hussein and Fakrul Alam explore the possibility of a South Asian identity in “Writing the Region”. Indian writers Manju Kapur and Nilanjana Roy sit with Tahmima Anam to reflect on “The Woman as a Writer”. Hear the musings of celebrated writers and poets of the subcontinent, including Asad Chowdhury, Kaiser Haq and Muneeza Shamsie in “A Connected Past”, and enjoy the recitations of young breakthrough poets Kosal Khiev, Laksmi Pamuntjak and TJ Dema, as well some of our favourite Bangladeshi poets.

In “Science Matters”, listen to Professor Muhammed Zafar Iqbal and Lucy Hawking, daughter of Stephen Hawking, talk about making science popular. Drop by the Cosmic Tent and rediscover the enchanting world of science -- like never before, with interactive sessions that will run all day long. Hay also has exciting children's events, ranging from adventures in folk myths all the way to different galaxies. End day two on a lighter note with the comedy of Naveed Mahbub, and Shadhona's production of Tagore.

That Which Cannot be Said”, inspired by the Vagina Monologues, is a production by Naripokkho and a must-see on the third and final day of Hay. Be sure to join Syed Shamsul Haq and Aly Zaker as they celebrate 450 years of Shakespeare in Bangladesh with performances by Firdousi Majumdar. With its stages bursting into songs, the weather deliciously cool, and the list of its literary credentials too long to read out, don't miss out on the literary event of the season.