LAHORE: The fourth edition of the Lahore Literary Festival (LLF-2016) concluded on Sunday, with intellectuals, writers and artists from different parts of the world converging at Avari Hotel on The Mall.

People got an opportunity to listen to a galaxy of literary figures who shared their experiences and discussed topical issues.

The two-day festival started on Saturday with Hameed Haroon’s discussion with Indian actress Sharmila Tagore on her eventful cinematic journey. As expected it turned out to be a gate-crashing session as even before its start, the hall was packed.

On day two, 24 sessions on a variety of topics were held while at night two performances — Love Letters (a play by A.R. Gurney, directed by Mr Haroon and featuring Imran Aslam and Rehana Saigol) and Qav’vali by Fariduddin Ayaz, Abu Mohammad — enthralled the audience.

Whenever a session ended, some people would rush to the panellists for further discussion or snaps and selfies, while others would leave the venue in a hurry to get to some other hall to grab a front-row seat.

“It’s a lifetime opportunity to listen to star novelists like Mohsin Hamid, Tania James and Ned Beauman under one roof, and I want to enjoy the discussion from the front row,” said Mohammad Hussain, a Punjab University student.

He said his exams were over recently and he could have gone to his city, Skardu, to meet his family but he preferred to stay in Lahore for the LLF. “This is the kind of event we wait for throughout the year, and I can’t think of missing such an event,” he said.

Outside the halls, people in groups kept discussing the high and low points of the sessions they had attended.

“I feel one hour was not enough to discuss artists like Anwar Jalal Shemza and we feel the time constraint in almost every session, but we have to accept it,” said Tayyaba Rehman, a teacher, at a bookstall.

The LLF not only gathers literary, art and history giants under one roof, but is also a place where friends of yesteryear are reunited with each other. That is what Maimoona Shabbir, who met her college friends after 10 years at the festival, felt.

“Just a matter of luck that I came across my college friends Ayesha and Shahnzay right here after 10 years, and I can’t believe it,” she exclaimed.

Volunteers from the Lahore Grammar School (LGS) kept on helping the people to venues of the sessions.

“I learned how to deal with the people,” said Maryam Shafaf, a student of LGS, Main Gulberg branch.

“I didn’t mind at all when people would not say a thank you when I helped them with schedule or directions,” she added sarcastically.

Other than the sessions, food and book stalls also kept attracting the people. Vendors said most of the people were interested in history and literature books. Nadeem Farooq Paracha’s book was selling like hot cake. And a long queue could be seen at a coffee stall.

“The only fallout of having LLF at the five-star hotel is that a water bottle is available for Rs130,” said a journalist. “I would prefer to buy the bottle from a service station and spend that Rs130 on a book.”

Rehan Azhar, a businessman, had come only to attend Shar­mila’s session, but after seeing what he said was a new world, he decided to attend it for the two days. “The LLF is a festival of love, as Sharmila Bibi will certainly tell Indians how Pakistani people love her. The same spirit the two governments should show to each other and it will be good for both sides.”

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2016