It was second year of my writing and fourth year of my engineering graduation. Fourth year is also called final year in India.
I was an infant in the literature world but I wanted to be a part of this world since my Infancy.
I had seen the advertisement of the lit fest in The Hindu newspaper. Look at the newspaper I was getting those days. I admit I was choosy since I was a small kid. I used to buy fancy toothbrush, tooth paste, pen, pencil, notebooks whose sheets were extra smooth and so.
I never liked the newspapers whose starting pages contain so many advertisements. But The Hindu was quite different than other. Filtered news with least ads were the things that had precised me to the newspaper and the lit fest was being organized by the same and the awesomest thing was that it was help in the capital city where I was residing.
In college days I looked like a rock star though I didn't know the meaning of 'r' of a rock star. Long hair, athletic body, loud dresses, goaty beard were my identity.
I wore a red baggy T-shirt, faded blue jeans and shinning red Ferrari shoes and hung my college bag and left for metro station.
I had just finished writing my first novel and had sent to the leading publishers. Publishers had mailed me the rejection letters. I wanted to see what goes on in a literature festival.
I had reached to the Indian Habitat center before the show began. I was a time bound person. I asked the volunteers about the fest and they asked me enroll and go into the big hall.
Stage was empty and some seats were occupied. I walked down to the first row which was closest to the stage. It was little dark as only dim yellow light was focusing on the stage.
'Reserved' the boards which were standing next to the first two rows said. This was the first time I had such boards except in movies!
I walked back and took a seat in the last row. People came and sat. And soon I saw first two rows filling. I couldn't recognize any of them. None were a Bollywood star.
My neighbors discussed news of Bollywood, and among them one was discussing his next book which was based on bollywood. I listened to them. They spoke like big writers and they were big writers.
Writers came one by one on the stage and discussed things with the Hindu journalists. Audience asked them some questions. They answered. I understood everything. Everything began to cross over my head when foreign writers discussed things.
There was a tea break. I went out and walked to the other building where I guessed it was a canteen. When I came to know the price of a tea I forgot I needed a tea. I came to the same building and saw writers and journalists having tea and snacks in a small longue.
I asked one of the volunteers, is the tea free here?
She smiled and said, 'yes.'
I entered into the room and saw people who were getting tea and snacks on their own. It was a self service. I stood there and saw the method of making tea and the way they were picking plates and loading them with snacks.
I copied them.
One lady was very tall. She was in Saree. When I heard her conversation with others I came to know that she was Bollywood star, Raj kappor's sister. Her face was matching with the Bollywood star Karishma kapoor. I stood there, ate snacks bite by bite, sipped tea slowly and heard their conversations. They spoke a lot like kids do.
Then post break session began.
First guest Om Prakash Mehra, who had made the movie, Rang de basanti and he spoke about his next movie and why he chooses the movies which are different than others.
At last I learned nothing there. But the fest was very enjoyable though I neither ask any question sitting among audience nor I spoke a word throughout the whole fest.
