The fifth edition of Mountain Echoes, a celebration of literature, art and culture, in Bhutanese capital Thimphu next month will include film screenings, exhibitions and a few performances, along with literary debates, the organisers said on Wednesday.
The three-day festival, May 21-23, is an initiative of the India-Bhutan Foundation run by the two governments, in association with NGO Siyahi.
Bhutan’s Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuk is the chief royal patron of the festival, and also one of the speakers.
Along with her, prominent names such as Advaita Kala, author of Almost Single, art curator Alka Pandey, Hindi writer Ashok Vajpeyi, writer and anthropologist Dolma C. Roder, sociologist Dipankar Gupta, academician Gavin Francis, Bhutanese author Lily Wangchuk, author-columnist-diplomat Navtej Sarna and filmmaker Tashi Gyeltshen are some of the speakers who will deliberate on variety of subjects, a statement said.
From popular fiction to democracy and civil society, from travel and cities to human animal conflict and crime and thriller writing — the festival will host sessions on various facets of these topics.
The festival is the brainchild of programme directors Namita Gokhale, also a key person in the organisation of the Jaipur Literary Festival; Pramod Kumar K.G, managing director of a museum consulting company; Kunzang Choden, the first Bhutanese woman to write a novel in English; and Siok Sian Dorji, a print and broadcast journalist.
Exhibitions and film screenings are also an integral part of the festival.
Films such as Bhutan Women Forward by Kesang Chuki Dorjee, Tashi Gyeltshen’s The Red Door, Ted Nicolaou’s Finding Happiness and Tshering Tempa’s The Yak Herder’s Son’s will be screened at the festival.
An exhibition highlighting textile and weaves of Bhutan will also be a part of the festival.
There will also be cultural performances by Bhutanese bands such as The Baby Boomers, The Daydream Farmers, Poisoned Apple and Zhaw, among others.
