Jaipur Literature Festival is the world’s largest free literary festival. Even though there are many literary festivals taking place in India, JLF has carved a niche for itself. It is considered the most leading literary event in India. JLF now has Australia, USA, and UK editions too. This blog on Jaipur Literature Festival is a quick guide to the popular once a year event. With an increasing number of visitors every year, it is not merely a literary event, JLF has become more of a lifestyle event. Many people now term it Jaipur Lifestyle Festival instead of Jaipur Literature Festival. Here is your survival guide for Jaipur Literature Festival held in January every year.

Do read the related write up: Attending Jaipur Literature Festival? Your quick guide to Jaipur as you attend JLF

 

Jaipur Literature Festival – Where To Stay?

Hotel rooms fill up fast around this event so book in advance. It makes sense to stay in central locations as you save considerable time in commuting. Accommodations & hotels in and around  C-scheme, MI Road, Raja Park are best picks as they are not far from the venue. Even hostels fill up fast during JLF.

Some of the popular hostels in Jaipur are Moustache, Blue Beds, Zostel, Jaipur Jantar to name a few.

Check out: Your essential guide to picking the best area for hotels in Jaipur

 

What to Wear for JLF?

Weather in Jaipur is expected to be in the range of 7-20 C with the recent rain showers. Expect chilly weather with some sunshine during the day. Layer up to stay warm. If attending JLF musical night, it will be a bit more chilly than daytime. Do note that JLF has gained a reputation for being a glamorous event so the key is to dress smart and comfortable. Some prefer to create their signature look.

 Jaipur Literature Festival Timing

JLF starts at 9.15 AM with a morning music program. However, sessions are timed between 10.00 AM to 6.15 PM

Do read the related write up: Attending Jaipur Literature Festival? Your quick guide to Jaipur as you attend JLF

 Jaipur Literature Festival Registration & Entry

Jaipur Literature Festival is a free & registered event, book online in advance to save time. If you end up without prior booking at Jaipur Literature Festival expect to pay for the admission. Charges for attending the 5-day event is Rs 250 PP.  Musical evenings or cultural programs are not free, buy tickets well in advance as they are very popular and get sold out fast. Last year the JLF committee closed free entry to the visitors on 26th and 27th January owing to holidays,2019 expecting a huge turnout.

Jaipur Literature Festival Venue

JLF venue is Hotel Diggi Palace on Tonk Road. The lit festival is being held here ever since its inception. It is centrally located. Prominent landmarks near Hotel Diggi Palace are Maharani College, Maharajah College, and SMS Hospital. You are unlikely to face any issue in finding the venue.

 

 

Travel to JLF venue

Roads are often closed for traffic near Jaipur Literature Festival venue. It is best to hire a cab & get off 100-200 meter prior to the venue and walk instead of getting stuck in traffic jams. Please note that there will be a pronounced traffic snarl on the road leading to the venue because of diversions.

Parking At JLF

For those planning to drive down in their own car, JLF has created a temporary parking facility at Gokhale hostel, across the road. A word of caution; despite dedicated personnel to supervise parking some areas are not adequately monitored and it is likely you may get stuck in a jam inside the parking area. It is best to leave your car at the hotel/home and hire a taxi.

Things to carry To JLF

With hot sunny days carrying water will be a good idea. There is no restriction in carrying bag to the venue. All bags are scanned before one is allowed entry to the venue. Ensure your comfort by sticking with the bare minimum. A diary, pen, power bank, camera, are a few popular things that visitors usually carry to the venue. Grab your copy of JLF program schedule from the visitor information desk.

 

How to plan for the JLF sessions

Rather than attending sessions which don’t interest you, plan ahead and attend only the ones which interest you.  Sessions with celebrity speakers and popular writers tend to attract a huge crowd. If you wish to find a seat for yourself, ensure you grab one during the previous session. Yes, you will need to sit through the prior session, otherwise finding a seat is impossible. Some popular speakers like Shashi Tharoor, Ashwin Sanghi, Prasoon Joshi draw a large gathering. Do note that JLF sessions start and end on time.

 

There’s a change in this year’s layout. JLF venue Samvad has been moved out of Hotel Diggi Palace. To reach Samvad, you will have to come back to the main road and reach the lawn behind Suchna Kendra. It is inconvenient when you have to attend back to back sessions.

The crowd at Jaipur Literature Festival

Expect a huge crowd on weekends when a number of visitors surge especially the ones from Delhi and locals. Everyone wants to register their presence at JLF. I generally avoid visiting on weekends because of the mad rush.

Food at JLF venue

There are many food stalls at Jaipur Literature Festival from Jaipur as well as Delhi but they largely offer international and continental food choices but do note that all that comes at a steep price. There is no alternative option so you will have to depend on JLF food stalls. Diggipuri Chai served in Kulhhad is immensely popular among the visitors. It’s essentially a Masala tea. You can grab your Kulhhad at the front lawn. Food stalls accept payment through prepaid cards only, which can be procured inside the venue. You can get the cards loaded with the required amount, any unused amount will be refunded. A security deposit of Rs 100 against the card will also be refunded on surrendering it.

Shopping – Jaipur Literature Festival Bazaar

Since JLF is not purely a literary event, you will find plenty of stalls selling their wares at the venue. Clothes, art pieces, handicraft items are the most popular things to buy in this festival. Before I forget, there is a large bookshop too.

Getting back to the Hotel from JLF venue

Do note you might have a problem with fetching taxis once the sessions are over as there is a huge demand for the taxis especially over the weekend. Uber is offering a 50% discount for trips to JLF venue with some conditions attached to it.

You will find Ola cab booth outside Hotel Diggi Palace, in case you need assistance with booking a cab.

Surge price is a common situation one encounters with both Uber and Ola apps. You may find yourself in a “No Taxi” situation too. It is safer to leave a little early or pre-book your taxi. Alternatively, you can ask your hotel to arrange your pick up. Other options include finding an auto-rickshaw or e-rickshaw to take you back to the hotel.

Jaipur Literature Festival Music Program & Parties

JLF music programs & parties are held at different locations – Rambagh Palace and Hotel Clarks Amer. JLF music program tickets can be bought online and are not very expensive.

The JLF after parties are by invite only and is meant for the speakers, writers, and celebrities. There is an upgrade program in which you can buy JLF delegate pass and avail access to private areas, lounges, music programs, lunch & dinner which is accessible only to the speakers, media persons, and celebrities.

Also, read related write-up:  Attending The Jaipur Literature Festival? Your Quick Guide To Explore Jaipur As You Attend JLF

Hope this quick travel guide will help you have a good experience at Jaipur Literature Festival.

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