Jaipur Literature Festival is the world’s largest free literary festival. Even though there are many literary festivals taking place in India, this one has carved a niche for itself. It is considered the leading literary event in India. JLF now has Australia, USA, and UK editions too. This blog on the 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, but rather more of a lifestyle event. Many people now term it the Jaipur Lifestyle Festival instead of the Jaipur Literature Festival. Here is your survival guide for the Jaipur Literature Festival held every year in Jaipur.

Jaipur Literature Festival Guide

This Jaipur Literature Festival blog intends to answer most of your queries pertaining to stay, commute, sessions to attend, and food to name a few. Here is all that you need to know about the world’s leading literary festivals.

What is the Jaipur Literature Festival?

Jaipur Literature Festival is a five-day literary event taking place in Jaipur in January, every year. It has become India’s largest literary festival and one of the world’s leading too. The event attracts close to 400,000 people. Emulating JLF there are many lit fests being organized in other cities like Kolkatta, Bangalore, Chennai, and Dehradoon to name a few.

Who organizes Jaipur Literature Festival?

The Jaipur Literature Festival is organized by Teamworks. It was first launched in 2006, not as a literary event, and was called the Jaipur Festival.

What Happens at the Jaipur Literature Festival?

There are multiple interactive talk sessions taking place in the Jaipur Literature Festival which consist of book readings, panel discussions, interviews, and questions and answers with authors, writers, thinkers, politicians, actors, and eminent persons. The participants include both Indian and international participants. Book signing and book launches are also part of JLF. Politicians, actors, sports & media personalities, and social activists also feature among the participants apart from writers.

The event starts with music, and folk dance every day. In 2020 meditation and yoga were also included. The day ends with live music shows at a different venue. More on that later in this blog on JLF.

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

Where is Jaipur Literature Festival Held?

Until now, JLF’s venue was Hotel Diggi Palace, a centrally located place in Jaipur. 2020 was the last time the Jaipur Literature Festival was held at Hotel Diggi Palace. Local authorities are finding it tough to manage such a large congregation here. From 2022, JLF’s venue is hotel Clarks Amer in Jaipur.

Where To Stay in Jaipur During Jaipur Literature Festival?

Hotel rooms fill up fast around the literature festival so book in advance. It makes sense to stay near the JLF venue, Hotel Clarks Amer as you save considerable time commuting. Accommodations & hotels in and around C-scheme, MI Road, and Raja Park are more popular owing to the facilities in the vicinity; these localities are not too far from the venue, and the choice in terms of hotels as well as BNB is reasonably good. Even hostels in central locations fill up fast during JLF. If want to explore more options on where to stay in Jaipur, Check out an in-depth guide on Where to stay in Jaipur?

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

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

What to Wear for Jaipur Literature Festival?

Weather in Jaipur is expected to be in the range of 7-20 C in winter. Expect a bit of chill with some sunshine during the day. Layer up to stay warm. If attending JLF musical night, gear up for cold weather. Do note that JLF has gained a reputation for being a glamorous event so the key is to dress smart and comfortably. 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 the Jaipur Literature Festival? Your quick guide to Jaipur as you attend JLF

Jaipur Literature Festival Registration & Entry Charges

Jaipur Literature Festival used to be a free event. Now entry to the festival is charged at Rs 200/person/day if you book online. If you end up without a prior booking at the Jaipur Literature Festival expect to pay higher entry charges.

Offline General Pass is Rs 200 per day and for five days, it is Rs 800 per person.

Delegate Pass provides access to lunches, access to the Delegate Lounge, priority seating at special sessions, and a cocktail evening. You can grab this for Rs 13500. Is it worth the price? I think it is certainly worth the price because it allows you to interact with the authors, writers, and speakers at JLF.

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 to traffic near the Jaipur Literature Festival venue. It is best to hire a cab & get off 100-200 meters 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 Venue

For those planning to drive down in their own car, JLF creates temporary parking spaces. 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 traffic jam. It is best to leave your car at the hotel/home and hire a taxi.

Things to carry To JLF

On hot sunny days carrying water will be a good idea. There is no restriction on carrying bags 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, and camera, are a few popular things that visitors usually carry to the venue. Grab your copy of the JLF program schedule from the visitor information desk.

How to plan for Attending the JLF sessions

All about JLF sessions– The JLF sessions consist of interactive panel discussions, book reading, and answering questions from audiences. The panel consists of authors, actors, poets, writers, politicians, and a moderator. Usually, visitors can get the writer’s book signed at a designated spot.

Rather than attending sessions that 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, and Prasoon Joshi draw a large gathering. Do note that JLF sessions start and end on time.

The crowd scene

Expect a huge crowd on weekends when the number of visitors surges 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.

The food at the 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 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 used to be immensely popular among visitors at Diggi Palace.

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, and any unused amount will be refunded. A security deposit of Rs 100 against the card will also be refunded upon surrendering it. Many visitors prefer to carry pre-packed from their homes or hotels because visiting the food kiosk results in not finding a vacant seat. If you intend to attend sessions in continuation then you too can plan on a similar strategy.

If you are considering food outlets near the Jaipur Literature Festival venue, there are many in the vicinity. Among the most popular ones are Tapri Ashram, Rustic By OTH, and Town Coffee, to name a few. Also worth considering is Zolocrust in the Clarks Amer itself. Read about the same in the Best Cafe and restaurants in Jaipur. If you want to check out a detailed post on Rustic By OTH – Is Rustic By OTH one of the best cafes in Jaipur Malviya Nagar?

If you are a coffee lover, check out 5 best coffee places in Jaipur

Shopping At 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, and 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 the 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 and Ola often don’t turn up due to the huge demand when the festival ends.

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 Diggi Palace. JLF music program tickets can be bought online and are not very expensive.

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

Also, read the 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 the Jaipur Literature Festival.

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