Or mere festivities
The literary festivals seem to have gathered impressive momentum. There was much anticipation for the Lahore and Karachi reruns, and both went down well. Islamabad, too, was fun aplenty for the participants just a few days ago. There can be no denying the importance of such festivals for a place like Pakistan. It seems that over the years when we, as a nation, tried to punch above our weight, got ourselves mixed in superpower games, and thought ourselves masters of the region, we allowed delusions to have the better of us. And looking back, it is little surprise dogmas and erratic idealism slowly, and quit comprehensively, replaced the spirit of enlightened, and educated, progress.
Our literature suffered too, so attempts to safeguard it are always appreciated. But we must be careful, at the same time, that these efforts do not just erect showcase events for a limited urban middle class. In restricting intellectual revival to a self-appointed few, we risk creating a very dangerous class of the dispossessed, one which will eventually bend towards a more inviting but wrong side as the larger narrative of Pakistan enters a crucial stage. It bears noting that our traditional literature, too, is mostly a product of the grassroots. It was often at its lower rungs that society founds its most fertile pool of intellectual and literary output. It is sad that for far too long our folk and cultural heritage has failed to evolve, and our ideals remain embedded in a very distant past, especially our literature, a sorry, stagnant shadow of its old self.
These literary festivals, impressive as they are, must quickly expand not only to involve the street, but provoke it into creativity. Such small sparks have been known to light large fires. The national mindset is in a confused state of metamorphosis, unable to detach itself from growing influences of existentialism. But such times also carry important opportunity. They signify that there is still room for influence in the bigger debate, and voices of reason will find a place, no matter how restricted. There are interesting points of convergence where literary pundits, intellectuals, and popular media can come together. Not only can they help the state in countering a growing reactive and regressive mindset, they can also help the softer side of state and society, and do a service to the arts.
Literary festivals from now on will test the organisers’ maturity.
