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 and UK editions too. This is a quick guide to Jaipur Literature Festival, 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

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

 

Stay and accommodation in Jaipur during Jaipur Lit Fest

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.

 

What to Wear for JLF?

Weather in Jaipur is expected to be in the range of 10-30 C. Expect pleasant weather with plenty of sunshine during the day. Light woolens is all that you need unless you intend to attend one of the JLF musical nights. Do note that JLF has gained a reputation for being a glamorous event so the key is to dress smart and comfortable.

 Jaipur Literature Festival Timing

JLF starts at 9.15 AM with 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

Entry to Jaipur Literature Festival

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.

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 due to ongoing construction work near the venue there will be a pronounced traffic snarl on the road leading to the venue. For those planning to drive down, parking facility is available at Gokhale hostel just across the road. A word of caution here; despite dedicated personnel to supervise parking some areas are not adequately monitored and it is likely you may get stuck in a jam during the peak hours and weekends.

Things to carry

With hot sunny days carrying water will be a good idea. There is no restriction in carrying bag 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 visitor information desk.

 

How to plan for the JLF sessions

Rather than attending sessions which don’t interest you, plan ahead and attend only sessions which interests 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 difficult. Some popular speakers like Shashi Tharoor, Ashwin Sanghi, Prasoon Joshi draw a large gathering. JLF sessions start and end on time.

Please note that 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 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 at JLF 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 with 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.

Also, read related write-up:  Attending 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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