The Shillong Literary Festival began its fifth edition on Wednesday with a strong message from writers, scholars and cultural voices from India and abroad — Meghalaya’s stories deserve a wider audience, far beyond the state’s hills. Set against the pink bloom of cherry blossoms around Ward’s Lake, the opening ceremony marked the start of three days of discussions centred on literature, identity and the growing place of regional languages in India’s cultural landscape. This year’s festival, organised by the Meghalaya Tourism Department, has been described as the biggest edition yet. Officials said the event has slowly evolved into a platform that brings students, young writers and seasoned authors together. One senior official noted that the festival has sparked “a whole movement of engagement in colleges, schools and institutions,” adding that visiting writers should help “carry the stories of Meghalaya to the rest of the world.”
The inaugural session featured an impressive line-up, including International Booker Prize recipient Banu Mushtaq, Ikigai co-author Francesc Miralles, festival curator Malavika Banerjee, Tourism Commissioner Vijay Kumar D., and Commissioner & Secretary Cyril VD Diengdoh. Their presence set a global tone while sharpening the focus on Meghalaya’s literary identity. Mushtaq, addressing a packed audience, described the festival as a “Festival of Imagination.” She spoke emotionally about her connection to the city, saying that standing in Shillong felt like “walking into a page that has been quietly waiting for me,” and added that the hills remained “a reminder of how deeply stories connect us.”
Spanish writer Francesc Miralles shared his own journey, recalling that his first visit to India in the late 1990s pushed him towards becoming a writer. “Without India, I would never have written books,” he said, tracing how the country shaped his creative life. Festival curator Malavika Banerjee highlighted the growing inclusion of local-language sessions, particularly in Khasi and Garo. She recalled listening to a Garo poem during her first visit to Shillong and said that regional languages must have a central place. “If we don’t have these sessions in these languages, then it will not truly represent the state,” she said.