Arunachal Lit Fest concludes with strong focus on children’s storytelling

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The three-day Arunachal Literary Festival (ALF) concluded on a vibrant and insightful note at the DK Convention Centre on Saturday night, with the children’s corner emerging as the central attraction and the festival’s discussions underscoring themes of identity, memory, literature, and the evolving cultural landscape.

The final day brought forward critical conversations on food heritage, native storytelling, world literature, and the impact of artificial intelligence on creative expression.

The concluding day opened with a compelling session on “Gastronomy: Books and Bites”, where panellist Sona Bahadur, speaking on her new book Invitation to Feast, warned that India’s vast culinary heritage is at risk due to inadequate documentation.

The panel delved into the sociological and political nuances of food, including the “different perception” faced by Northeast Indian cuisine. It reminded audiences that kitchens, through a literary lens, are powerful repositories of memory, identity, and resilience.

The children’s corner, hailed as the most popular segment of ALF 2025, captivated young audiences throughout the day.

Renowned storyteller and artiste Deepa Kiran, founder of the Story Arts Foundation, mesmerized children with her musical storytelling performance, while author Pankaj Saikia conducted an engaging workshop on wordless stories, encouraging young participants to explore and interpret narratives through the visual medium.

A strong intellectual highlight of the day was the session titled “Narrating the Native”, moderated by Bompi Riba, which brought together voices reflecting on evolving indigenous identities.

Speaker Miranda Pertin stressed the urgent documentation of rapidly changing native experiences, while picture book creator Ogin Nayam emphasized the importance of visual storytelling in connecting with young readers.

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