Jaipur Journals

by Namita Gokhale

From a septuagenarian who has completed her semi-fictional novel but does not want to publish it, to an author who receives a threat in the form of an anonymous letter, from a historian who reunites with a past lover, to a burglar who is passionate about poetry, from a young woman who has no idea what this world has in store for her, to an American woman looking for the India of her hippie youth, this metafictional, wryly funny, pacey novel is an ode to literature. Told from multiple perspectives, set against the backdrop of the vibrant multilingual Jaipur Literature Festival, diverse stories of lost love and regret, self-doubt, and new beginnings come together in a narrative that is as varied as India itself.

Partly a love letter to the greatest literary show on earth, partly a satire about the glittery set that throngs this literary venue year on year, and partly an ode to the millions of aspiring writers who wander the earth with unsubmitted manuscripts in their bags, Jaipur Journals is a light-footed romp that showcases in full form Gokhale's unsparing eye for the pretensions and the pathos of that loneliest tribe of them all: the writers.

Genres: Fiction, Indian Literature

208 pages, Hardcover

Published January 17, 2020

Reviews

[Vikas Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is for people who have attended the Jaipur Literature festival. Others will fail to appreciate the way festival is woven into the plot. The beginning is interesting and holds your attention as the story unfolds. However other than the character of Betaab, all fizzle out soon and become a drag to the senses. The author seems to have run out of steam towards the end, once the festival ends. So the aftermath of the festival has been dealt with a boring narrative that somehow reaches the end of the novel. Overall if you really want to experience the festival save money, give this book a miss and be part of the festival- online or offline

[Finitha Jose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attending Jaipur Literary Festival still remains an unfulfilled dream for me and so getting this opportunity to vicariously experience it through the many characters in this story must be a godsend. And the way the author has managed the multiple POVs makes it truly a wonderful work; there are no chapter divisions yet the story flows seamlessly from one participant to the other. Participants from different age groups, social backgrounds, gender and totally unrelated lives come together only because of the one passion that they share: the beauty of the written word.
A budding novelist of twelve years old, seventy-two-year-old unpublished author, a graphic artist, an academic who makes use of folk artists, a thief . . . well, the list goes on. As diverse as they seem, they all seem to have a ritualistic devotion to the festival. None of them is perfect, quite the opposite in fact. They are the ones who seem successful on the outside with secure jobs and literary achievements to showcase and with vulnerabilities to hide.
Pretty much the same scenario we can find in any literary conferences. If your academic pursuits have ever led to a similar situation where you have wondered what exactly goes through the minds of all these people, then this story is for you. Something that makes you see that even your idols are made of flesh and blood with all the frailties associated with it.

[Ahtims · Rating 4 out of 5]

Approached it with bit of a caution, after the magnum failure Ramgarh Lit Fest, though I knew Namita Gokhale won't disappoint.
It was a good read , made me feel as if I am a part of the Lit fest ..which much resembled our medical national conferences... in the hoo haa...
I followed a bunch of characters around.
There was a bit of predictability, and oft repeated tropes were used , still somehow this story resonated with me.
Greatest peeve is that Anura the youg damsel who is introduced in the first page doesn't fins much prominence until towards a last couple of pages.

Would recommend it to all book crazy people.

[Neha Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fresh breeze, after reading 7 books in 7 weeks about mythology, historical world literature which made a huge stretch on my limited abilities in geography, history and limited capacity to appreciate the strength of human endurance against the tests of destiny and time. Jaipur journals takes you away into a real yet fictional world of liberal urban book readers and writers who live in their intellectual ideals and judge others as lesser than them. They believe only their art is the highest form of living and by art means only their form of art.

There is no better way to review this book but thru the poison words of ‘Rudrani Rana’ the protagonist of the book to her own creator ‘Namita Gokhale’ the esteemed writer of Jaipur journals. This anonymous hate letter with abundant spelling errors would be most likely in a greeting card with a purring kitty with a seemingly snarky smile.

Read more: https://storywala.blogspot.com/2020/0...

[Kushagra Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretentious and boring. Pretentious can be forgiven for such has become the nature of the JLF but wish the author with such an amazing talent with words would engage the reader better.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Behind the Scenes of the Jaipur Lit Fest via fiction



I would love to go to the Jaipur Literature Festival and for the moment, reading this novel is the only way I will be able to ‘attend’. I have been to several literature festivals over the years but the pink city of Jaipur has to be one of the most iconic settings in the world.

At a literature festival, attendees dip in and out of the programme and authors appear on stage. These are like moments captured in time, an intense hour here and there, and then it’s time to move on to something different. The author has brought together a colourful smorgasbord of characters and she shares vignettes, which mirror the construct of a festival – it is a busy storyline, full of life, with characters coming in and out of sharp relief. We accompany 2 people on the quest to buy a sari, another person chooses the Ayurvedic experience, one person passes away. There are plenty of literature related experiences and it is a pleasure to mingle with authors and their agents and publishers. There is cacophony, too, discussion, poetry, Mickey Mouse and even Bollywood makes an appearance.

The narrative often circles back to Rudrani Rana, whom we first meet on a train heading to Jaipur. She carries her unsubmitted novel, carefully packaged, called Unsubmitted for now. Might she proffer it to someone in the industry whilst she is there and might she – just possibly – have a future as a published author? We accompany her to author readings and back to her hotel, share her aspirations (she wants to try artichoke and travel to Rome and beyond) and learn of her ‘naughty’ little habit; she is the little leitmotif around whom the swirling masses at the festival congregate.

There is a strong sense of being in India, less so perhaps of actually being in Jaipur.

[Aditi Chikhale · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not sure when exactly I heard about the Jaipur Literature Fest, but from that moment onward if there was one public gathering that I wanted to attend, it was this festival. The festival which takes place in the pink city, where authors, readers, publishers, poets all come together to celebrate their love for words and stories. This book came regularly on my feed and I bought it last month in the hope of vicariously being a part of the festival.

There are several characters in the book who all collide paths at the Jaipur Literature Festival. There is an old woman who always carries with her, her unsubmitted manuscript. There is a burglar turned poet, or is it the other way round? Some characters from abroad who are fascinated with Indi-ya and its holiness. A cartoonist. A gifted 12 year -old. And of course, some authors. They come together at the Festival and the book notes their days.

That’s it. That is the summary of this boring book. I was so excited to read it that I had been saving it for quite some time, but I was disappointed. I think this setting had a lot of potential and even the fact that it was a multi-perspective book should have worked in its favour. But somehow, it didn’t work out for me. The characters had background stories and one could say that some of those stories were alright but as I closed the book I had no connection with even a single person from the book. I found the writing unclear and uninspired at some points. One part that really intrigued me in the book was the little bit of history about Nepal and its rulers. All in all, Jaipur Journals was a massive let down for me, not unlike 2020. I am glad then that I leave the book in 2020 itself. Nevertheless, I still look forward to someday attending the glorious festival.

[Pankaj Giri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, Jaipur Journals is another nice offering from a talented, award-winning author. I didn’t like it as much as her haunting masterpiece A Himalayan Love Story, but it is a good read nevertheless.

Full review on: https://publiknama.com/2020/11/12/nov...

[Sruthi Srinivasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaipur journals isn't just a love letter to JLF, it's a poetic tribute to literature. The entire book felt like a poem with plot lines that seem to have nothing in common except for their love for words. And that's what made it such a refreshing read. It grows on you, you just need to have the patience to read it.
A fantastic read and the icing on the cake was when I finally saw the author Namita Gokhale's face and realized what a fantastic descriptive imagery she has portrayed for the protagonist Rudrani Rana.

[Manjul Bajaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and enjoyable read with an ensemble cast of characters.

[Kevin Fernandes-Prabhu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lent to me by Anand, with whom I travelled to the Jaipur Literature Festival, this book is exactly what its cover describes it as: a love letter to the greatest literary show on earth. Greatest, I haven’t been to enough to know; show, most definitely.  The five days of the JLF provide context for a bunch of eclectic characters, carefully selected from a pantheon of literary fest stereotypes and stock characters – including unpublished author, who spites published authors, and imagines self to be an undiscovered literary genius, polyamorous LGBTQ writer, gay European translator/literary talent scout (complete with stole and curly hair), ladies with thick kajal, silver bangles, big bindis, dishevelled hair, falling cotton sarees, reformed Hippies who travelled to Banaras in the 60s, celebrity academicians who make big bucks on obscure folk artists, upper caste Ivy league boy who drinks scotch but supports right wing conservative politics, etc,  to perform the creation, performance, consumption, distribution of literature.

My favourite characters are the Rudrani Rana-Anirban M-Juan Torres triad, perhaps because they remain, by far, the best developed and fleshed out characters (though Juan Torres does little more than be a pretty boy in the background, added for the international touch). This arc’s interaction with Betaab, another interesting and fairly developed character, is also well done.  Most other characters begin well, but remain little more the incomplete tropes or skeletons waiting for muscle and (t)issues.

11/10 to Gokhale for capturing the JLF – the egos, the speakers, those there to see and those there to be seen.  While I personally enjoyed the book, I ask myself if I would still feel the same way about it if the dream of a JLF set romance, shopping expeditions to Bapu Bazar, long walks through the Old City were all lived experiences for me at the JLF. 

[Archana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Jaipur Lit Fest, I am sure, is on the bucket list of most readers and writers of this country. So, when I heard about a book that was described as "feeling like being at the festival", how was I going to not read it. Well, I genuinely hope this is not how being at the festival would feel like, really. It wasn't much fun.

The book felt extremely pretentious with random complicated words and sentences strewn in to show the calibre of the writer, rather than to tell the story. Plus, there really wasn't a story to tell. A bunch of characters ranging from a 12 year old to a 70 year old to a thief-poet to an artist, who end up at the festival and how their life carries on.

I couldn't get invested in a single character or their story.

The only bit of the book I enjoyed were the after stories—4 unconnected chapters in the end about the lives of each of these characters since the festival. Made me wish I'd just read this as a bunch of short stories revolving around the festival.

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok 3.5 stars maybe.

I picked this book at the airport because my kindle had run out of battery and I needed something to read. Delayed flight, 2.5 hrs in the plane and I managed to finished it too. Fun read and if you have ever attended JLF you will be laughing along with it

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple, easy to read and feel good book. The book takes the reader into the Lit Fest in Jaipur and makes the reader take a journey not only into the Lit Fest schedules and their psyche, problems and the baggage they are into. From a well known writer to the Septuagenarian, who passion for writing and yet travel with her unpublished manuscript to a burglar, whose passion for poetry and his dilemmas and to other characters who will make the reader's journey a feel good trip. Yet its the after story that makes the whole difference. Read and take the trip. Happy Reading Journey.

[Shabbir · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unusual story, one which may not stay for long with the reader, but what stands out, more than everything else, is the beauty of the writing.

[Deepa Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaipur Journals is aptly sub titled “A Love Letter to the Greatest Literary Show on Earth”. It is, however, essentially an ode to writers—whether established, highly awarded, aspiring, failed and those yet to discover themselves. The whirling roller coaster of emotions authors ride upon—hope, longing and despair, the relentless struggle for recognition, the heady exhilaration of success and the stony acceptance of failure, not to forget the sharp claws of envy, all find their place here. How appropriate that a book that celebrates literary obsession should be set at the Jaipur Literature Festival—the place that has become a kind of pilgrimage for writers!
JLF regulars will no doubt embrace the book with a smile of recognition, but will soon encounter many unfamiliar spaces with a start of surprise. This is one of the numerous delightful aspects of the book—the mingling of the identifiable and the unknown. There are real-life personalities striding through its pages, others thinly disguised, along with a multifarious cast of characters that demonstrate the author’s almost magical ability to capture the foibles of human beings from disparate walks of life.
As we follow seventy-two-year-old Rudrani Rana who refuses to be separated from her unpublished magnum opus, insisting on shouldering it through the maze of the festival, we cannot help but experience the weight of the literary ambitions that writers hoist, often on fragile backs. If the burden is mercifully relieved by a heaven sent publisher, well and good, otherwise…there are always solutions, as a character in the novel finds.
Rudrani, who carries “poison and vitriol” in her heart, is one of the most intriguing characters in this book, which abounds in extraordinary people and extraordinary encounters. Another is the accomplished burglar Raju, aka Betaab the poet. A thief who consults the panchang for the auspicious moment to make his criminal forays, Raju will experience a life changing event at the festival, as will others. Because as writers and wannabes mingle, the festival also becomes a place of self-discovery, a catalyst that transforms many lives. Unlikely relationships are forged, secrets spilled, lives healed, but also lost—both literally and metaphorically.
To continue with the cast of characters, on the other side of the age spectrum from Rudrani, we have the twelve-year-old Anura, a budding author, for whom reading and writing is an escape from her overbearing mother. As Namita Gokhale perceptively writes, “Her mother knew nothing about her. Parents never did.” Then there are the foreigners, Anna Wilde who had come to India to “find herself” and did, which led her to write her heart out. There is also the intriguingly named Quentin Cripps, who wants to make her his guru.
The roll call continues with Anirban who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Rudrani, and several others, within and without the Authors’ Lounge, crafted with an incisive yet affectionate eye by the author. She moves them deftly around the landscape of her story, which is not confined to Jaipur but travels to other cities in India, each bringing its distinct essence into the twists of the action.
Yes, there are many streams mingling in this compelling narrative, many sideshows that connect effortlessly with the one that is centre stage or on the “Front Lawns” as in JLF parlance. There is also an alluring playfulness in the telling, which will keep you chuckling and turning pages. If this were not enough, numerous literary allusions accentuate the nuances.
Thus, there is a great deal to discover in this immensely readable novel.

[Elysian Bookgraphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jaipur Journals, as the writer says “A Love Letter to the Greatest Literary Show on Earth...” is set in the background of the Jaipur literature festival. Namita Gokhale’s Jaipur Journals tells you the tales of her colourful cast of characters whose lives collide in a series of events during the festival.
Gokhale takes you to a ride of a delightful and a moving journey of readers, aspiring writers, sketch artist, bookworms, a poet and a thief. Each one of these attendees is the protagonist of their own story, an American writer looking for the vanished India of her youth, a burglar with a passion of poetry, a talented child determined to make it to the top, an intelligent graphic artist, the lonely writer in her seventies who carries her “UNSUBMITTED” novel in a canvas bag. This novel shows you the excitement and spirit of such literary festivals. It represents the audience that is desperate to catch a glimpse of and get answers from their favourite authors. Also, writers are anxious to get their points clear across the panels.It highlights the power of literature that can enlighten us in every life situation. Told from multiple perspectives, filled with various deep and eye-opening quotes, this fast paced complex and intriguing life stories of our protagonists makes you stick to the pages, is totally unputdownable. However, this book is not meant for the first time reader, but still if you want to read it make sure your dictionary is out with you.

[themillennialbookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the backdrop of what has been described as “the greatest literary show on earth”, Gokhale’s Jaipur Journals is a book that resonates with any bibliophile that has had the pleasure of attending the JLF. Spanning five days, the novel weaves the lives of various and varied characters, ranging from an elderly aspiring author to a common pickpocket. The beauty of the story lies in the revealing of subtler emotions, from insecurity to inadequacy, that is experienced by most, on a stage that seemingly only displays the most assured and imperturbable.

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book that compels you to invest in the lives of the multiple characters. Truly "a love letter to the Greatest Literary Show on Earth" which allows you to attend the festival through many souls. A wonderful must read for anyone with the love of the inescapable world of words.

[Anuchopra]

Jaipur journals a book by Namita Gokhale
Namita Gokhale’s latest book Jaipur Journals discusses the panaroma of the Jaipur lit festival .Its unfolds the myriad vignettes of the literature festival.The characters are varied as are the people who visit the literature festival.I have been going to Jaipur literature festival for a long time and among time and in the jostling crowds and running to find a place to visit ,these characters seem so real.I actually feel that at my next visit Rudrani a character in the book will be sitting next to hopeful me and that I will become important enough that she writes poisonous missives to me .
In this book the characters are diverse some melancholy ,some funny, some waiting for success some sad some happy riding on a wave of success.
There is a poet cum thief the son of a tailor whose father always stitched clothes too tight and always got gaalis from his female customers.The character steals for different reasons.Javed Akhtar feels the character is modelled on him.When the writer gets accolades he is not surprisingly ignored by the English -newspapers but garners headlines in the local language papers.Everyone is a writer here ,some successful some plagiarist or some just failed some just a writer in their hearts.
There is a failed writer who always carries two bags one is her manuscript which she still hasn’t submitted ,she had edited it many times but the first lime never changed ,my body remains a haunted house .’All writers are ultimately cannibals consuming their own pain and that of others as well as their ephermal joys in their sheer appetite for experience.’
It’s about people who have been sidelined in their youth but have risen from that to become known faces in the literature world ‘pain of or ur position of a joint family especially someone at the bottom of the complex hierarchy of the joint family and then learning from his aunt that people behave with you as you let them behave.’
It’s about people who have a lasting affair with words
There is no real beginning ,it’s a slice of life as they say.It is as though you are in a mela and watching it but it is like a kaleidoscope the people are changing and their relationships are changing.
There are lovers who move on to newer people ‘our pasts are lined with our ex’s !’and some who never find love agin.
Some are broken some looking for succour .’Dogs are wise they crawl away into a quiet corner and do not rejoin the world until they are whole once more.’
Or the writer for whom the dictionaries of desire puzzled him because he was just a straight white man
There are humorous takes on feminists ‘The panel on the Second Sex was in full swing where a panelist’s says expunge the inappropriate and insensitive use of the word power seminal ,words have power and the reply is even funnier how can u disallow the use of this gendered and fluid word this innocent semen .
The language is lyrical and also humorous whether it’s describing the chai wala whom all have met at the festival or something as mundane as a woman’s waxed arms.
‘Gayatri’ s arms had been waxed just a fortnight ago
But there was a crop of sharp stubble that rose to meet his touch.’

The last part after stories is particularly interesting for me for there is a mention of harmony book store my favourite book store at Assi ghat in Varanasi ,this is where a writer from the lit festival is looking for peace.Earlier she had come to Varanasi to be with a Guru but disillusioned she had left.

The end has many threads ravelled some unravelled and some still sitting tightly in the ball of threads.
‘How and where do you stop telling a story ....when do you give it a sense of ending.’

Everyone has a moment where life goes off the rails.”
― Gillian Flynn, Sharp Objects

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many book lovers, authors and agents have been to a book festival, to listen to talks, panels and perhaps pick up a bit of book related gossip. The thousands of people who attend the Jaipur Literature Festival are no different, though for some the stakes are a little higher. An older woman carrying her precious manuscript, a criminal poet, a school girl, agents, experts, and so many others turn up at an event which reminds some of what they have lost, others what they may gain, and the social and personal turmoil of lives at a major yearly landmark event. With hundreds of events and over two dozen languages, there are all sorts of ramifications for those present, as past hurts and passions emerge in this humourous and well written book. Far from documenting what is obviously going on in the sight of the world, these are the stories of those who come looking for opportunities of so many kinds, told with real humanity and evident love for those who are involved with books – or at least the fame that they can represent. I found it funny, engaging and although at some times a little bewildering, offering a real insight into a new whole cultural world. Mainly seen through the eyes of an older woman who has committed so much thought to her writing, it also features those for whom the festival is a chance to be seen, to rehearse old disputes, to perfect their contribution to debates plagued by sound problems and much more. With a ticked programme full of unmissable sessions, this is a terrific read and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this fascinating book.
The book begins with two characters on the train travelling to the Festival, as “twelve-year-old Anura observes the woman on the seat opposite her. She is old, as Anura is young.” When a canvas bag is mentioned, it is in terms of being precious. While Anura delights in making up stories of what may lurk in it, Rudrani Rana, knows that it contains the “labour of her life”, an unsubmitted novel painstakingly written and rewritten over many years. When they are both plunged into the bustle of the Festival, Rudrani will have cause to remember her past life, while Anura will discover a whole world of possibilities. When Zoya, vocal feminist, falls victim to the unreliable sound system at some of the sessions, she also receives an anonymous card, which she shows to various people. Old relationships and new interactions affect the life of “Gayatri Smyth Gandhy, fifty- two, single, divorced, citizen of the world. Academic and aspiring novelist”. A sketch artist with a sharp eye captures characters, while an academic reflects on his observations on Walt Disney. A burglar reinvents himself as a poet, “Betaab – the impatient one”. So many stories, and not all for publication.
This book in some ways could be a light read, a jolly survey of an event attended by so many people each with their own agendas. I enjoyed it because it offers more, an insight into how people are drawn together by literature, often by the urge to write and capture something on paper. It reflects on the problems caused by writing, but also the hope of a new life, a new way of seeing things. A funny book in many ways, it is also sensitive to the small but important things in people’s lives. I recommend this intensely human novel of a few lives in a great mass of people, some forever changed by a book festival forever.

[Paterson Loarn · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman,’ says Anirban M, a successful author of graphic novels, while he is selecting brilliantly coloured saris for himself and a friend to wear. The friend neither agrees nor disagrees with this statement. She simply replies, ‘Too much information,’ and allows the rest of Anirban’s lecture to go over her head. I suggest this is the best way to read Jaipur Journals. Luxuriate in the vivid colours, the exotic locations and the entertaining personalities. As for the history and philosophy, you can just go with the flow.

Although the novel starts from the point of view of a schoolgirl who is at the beginning of her writing career, and returns to her towards the end, the central character is Rudrani Rana, an unpublished writer in her seventies. With its emphasis on memories, encounters with long-lost lovers and the lasting influence of family, Jaipur Journals will probably be most appreciated by the middle-aged and elderly. However, Namita Gokhale’s writing is full of dry wit, and the book contains enough literary gossip, scandal and opportunistic crime to keep all her readers amused.

‘Told from multiple perspectives, from the authors enjoying moments of adulation after years of creative isolation, to the star-struck public mingling with their cultural icons, to those in-between, who are both author and fan, these diverse stories of lost love and regret, self-doubt, and new beginnings come together in a narrative that is as varied as India itself. From a septuagenarian who has completed her semi-biographical novel but does not want to part with it, to an author who receives a threat in the form of a poison pen letter; from a historian who reunites with a past lover, to a burglar who is passionate about poetry; from a young woman who has no idea what this world has in store for her, to an American woman looking for the India of her hippie youth, this metafictional, wryly funny novel is an ode to literature.’

Now that I have read Jaipur Journals, going to the Jaipur Literary Festival is on my personal wish list. Namita Gokhale, who is an excellent and highly successful Indian writer and publisher, is the Festival’s co-founder and director, so she must know the scene there inside out. I expect the Indian literary scene is in a frenzy, while regular attendees of the Festival try to figure out who was the inspiration for each character. I hope Rudrani Rana, who in my opinion came across as rather spiteful, is purely imaginary.

[Madhu | spokensilence9 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoever is into reading, will always wonder about how it is to be a writer? Because, someone we don't know, someone not from our era or generation, someone who's living timeline dated back to a century of behind of ours, yet that person somehow knew so much about how people will think after 100 years, and sometimes we meet ourselves in those characters that don't even belong to our generation. So not just me, but all the readers out there have wondered at least once about how it is to be a writer?

Namita ghokale’s recent work “jaipur journals” so elegantly touches this point, where the premise of this book is the famous jaipur literature festival. Where so many people who have an admiration and respect for written word are attended, and spend their time listening to the writers there who are speaking, trying to keep healthy discussions without compromising their own opinions. Few of such attendees form the plot of this book and One of them being Rudrani Rana, a potential writer, who is dealing with her own demons of loneliness and a haunting childhood, and a heart breaking love life. Rudrani Rana believes that as long as her work is unpublished, it cannot be rejected. The manuscript of her work is what she holds dear to herself now. The book traces the journey of rana letting go of her manuscript and the anxiety source of the fear of being misunderstood.

The universally ignored truth of a writer’s hunger to be heard and to be read is shown in a spectacular way, that one has to be bound by it and one has to think about the points that are expressed about a professional writer’s life. One such hungry writer is raju srivastava. Another attendee of jaipur literature festival who is focused on the book.

There are few more characters if incase would have been great if explored more in the book, but the book “jaipur journals” is worth everything of time and thoughts with an easy flow carrying a very sensitive and ignored message about the life of any writer while it lasts.

Definitely a book that I would go back and revisit and question myself, and wonder about some other questions if needed. What can I say, I find things which I haven't found in my first time reading, and i am very much hopeful about revisiting this book when i am confused about something important, or just in a minimal reading slump.

Did I mention that I am thinking of exploring the other works of namita ghokale?

[Lynsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Jaipur Journals’ is a multi-faceted look at what goes on during a literary festival in one of the most colourful cities in the world. It’s funny, sharp, satirical and at times hauntingly beautiful. The festival at Jaipur is one that I have dreamt of going to since I heard about and this book has only made that longing even worse!

This is a novel packed full of exciting characters but I have to admit my favourite was Rudrani. From the beginning when we met her on the train I was hooked but then I love older characters in literature - they have a richness in them. From looking up words in her dictionary, to finding out about her childhood and life, it was a delight to read. However, she is a layered character as there were definitely aspects of her personality that I didn’t agree with.

I enjoyed the fact that this was not a novel that wasn’t afraid to poke fun of the festival and those who are present. Especially, when you realise that the author is the co-founder with William Dalrymple, the eminent Raj historian. It takes aim at the pretentious of it all. I went to my first festival last year and before then I was always worried that the authors would discuss things that went right over my head! But I found an experience which embraces people, there is a joy of sharing ideals and reading tastes. I can imagine it is the same in Jaipur. Of course, when you get into academic debates on the discourse of feminity and feminism it’s sure to turn into a lively affair.

This was an exciting read, which highlights all the different characters which attend the festival. It’s an overview of the experience and one that I definitely want to take part in!

[Sukaina Majeed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Namita takes you in the very famous Literary festival that every year takes place in Jaipur in India.

You get introduced to the backstory of Literary personalities and the charm and the sparkle that also brings the darkness of this festival.

The writer captures such eccentricities of the characters that as an Indian who has been following writers and who has always been interested in career paths of the writers would be able to recognise the human, the element of ‘real’ yet still be in awe of the whole celebration that goes on for a week.

The detailed description of the character sketches and their purpose of being at the festival boils down to books and scholars but there are these dormant fires that tell us something about where they come from.

The writing is humorous,witty,dark and sad all at the same time. There is pretension,there is the awe that even literary people have for other scholars and there is contempt for the person inside of them.

If you are a reader, if you want to see how the Jaipur Literature Festival works and how these characters change the dynamics in the festival and gives them an end that none of us expected.

The author explores the hunger, the desire in a writer to get published in a very sleek way which makes them quite the stories each of them have in the book.

Read this if you like reading about Literary Festival and particularly the very famous Jaipur Literary Festival.

[Bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story allows us a backstage pass into the glory of the Jaipur literary Festival (JLF) and gives insight into into people who share their work, those who want to hear about their idols, how people interact with each other and also how they expect to be treated. It delves into the passion and ambition of writers, the fear of failure and desperation to get their words heard. The adoration of their fans, how they want to meet their idols and immerse themselves into the golden world of literature. The love, envy, hatred that goes along with the fame and all that comes hand in hand with sharing your words with the world.

It is a light hearted but yet equally detailed character driven novel. If you love rich description and character heavy storyline this one is for you. I would recommend having a clear head before undertaking this book as the vocabulary is very rich and can take a while to digest.

[Nikhil Talwar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaipur Journals is aptly sub titled “A Love Letter to the Greatest Literary Show on Earth”. 

JLF regulars will no doubt embrace the book with a smile of recognition, but will soon encounter many unfamiliar spaces with a start of surprise. This is one of the numerous delightful aspects of the book

If you have never been to the Jaipur Literature Festival, this is your one-way ticket into the madness to experience the sights, smells and tastes the event has to offer.

All the characters are unique and their narrative makes Jaipur Journals the perfect representation of colourful and vibrant Jaipur Literature Festival and the many many untold stories in between. Namita Gokhale has brought to life some unforgettable characters like Rudrani who portray the innocent vulnerabilities of human nature.

[Veronika Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What does it mean to be a writer? Why do writers write? Namita Gokhale tries to answer these questions together with a series of tales centred around a group of visitors and participants at the Jaipur Literary Festival. This book is a ‘love letter to the greatest literary show on earth’.

We have a plethora of characters who come together in Jaipur, the pink city, for this cosmopolitan festival. We have Anura, a gifted 12-year-old, who is going to take part in a talk given by seven teenagers. Then we have Rudrani Rana, a 72-year-old lady who wears her messy hair in a loose bun. She carries her UNSUBMITTED novel around with her in a bag and never shows it to anyone. She also uses a purple gel pen to write poison pen letters for amusement. Rudrani befriends Anirban M. a graphic artist, who for some reason appears to be fascinated by her.

Poet and thief Betaab turned to burglary due to poverty and his father’s cancer. But one day his hoard of stolen money becomes useless and he must find another way to earn a living. ‘I was not born a burglar,’ he says, ‘but I was born a poet and I will remain a poet.’

We also have Gayatri who meets her old love Sumedh Kumar, and author Zoya Mankotia who is deeply upset after receiving a poison pen letter in purple handwriting (no prizes for guessing who wrote it), an American woman Anna Wilde who went to India 30 years earlier on the hippie trail and never returned until now, and many others.

This is not a traditional story with a beginning and an end. It is a series of mini stories, all beautifully written and all of which converge at the Festival. I loved it, mainly because of the poetic writing and the richly-drawn, charismatic characters.

Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having long wished to visit India's pink city, I had no idea until now that it is also famous for its literary festival. In this novel, the author gently mocks both the festival and the authors who make it what it is. The tone is gently satirical and the characters an eclectic mix of oddballs, n'eer -do-wells- and wannabees. This book is totally different to anything I've read before and is character rather than plot-driven. For me, its strength is the way in which it pokes fun at the pretension of the authors and at the writing process itself. This book may not be for everyone, but as a writer it resonated with me.

[Sukhman Khera · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read! I really enjoyed this book, its pace, its vivid descriptions and most of all the setting. As someone who has attended the Jaipur Literature Festival multiple times, I felt at home reading this book and recognising the array of characters, the venues and the energy. It was such a treat to be able to relive some of my favourite memories through the eyes of the hilarious and relatable protagonist. A pleasant read during these not-so-pleasant times!