Beefurb at 12:53, 9 March 2026

2026-03-09T12:53:34Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{primary sources|date=March 2017}}

{{Infobox recurring event
|name = Goa Arts and Literature Festival (GALF)
|logo = [[File:Logo of the Goa Arts and Literature Festival (GALF).jpg|frameless|upright=0.5]]
|image =
|caption =
|location = [[International Centre, Goa]] (ICG), [[Dona Paula]], [[Goa]], India
|years_active = 2010 – present
|Patrons =
|genre = [[Literary festival]] <br> [[Arts festival]]
|website = {{URL|http://www.goaartlitfest.com}}
}}

The '''Goa Arts and Literature Festival (GALF)''' is an annual [[literary festival]] which takes place in the [[India]]n coastal state of [[Goa]], each December. It was founded in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/literary-festivals-in-and-around-india-you-can-vist-4938953/|title=Bookmark your calendar: Literary festivals in and around India you can visit|date=2017-11-15|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-11-25|language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[International Centre, Goa]] (ICG) serves as the main venue of the festival,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/goa-art-and-literature-festival-2017-concludes-117121000463_1.html|title=Goa Art and Literature Festival 2017 concludes|date=2017-12-10|work=Business Standard India|access-date=2018-11-25}}</ref> with sessions held in the Zuari, Mandovi and Abolim Halls and throughout the gardens. The inaugural event is usually held at the [[Maquinez Palace]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/640987/goa-arts-literature-festival-panaji.html|title=Goa Arts and Literature Festival at Panaji from Dec 7|date=2017-11-04|work=Deccan Herald|access-date=2018-11-25|language=en}}</ref>

The event is organized by ICG in association with the Goa Writers' Group, with support from the Directorate of Art and Culture, [[Government of Goa]].<ref name=":0" /> The event also features stalls, mainly put up by local bookstores and a few publishers.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/8th-edition-of-the-goa-arts-and-literature-festival-to-begin-on-december-7/|title=8th edition of the Goa Arts and Literature Festival to begin on December 7|website=The Navhind Times|date=3 November 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-11-25}}</ref> All events at the festival are free and not ticketed and are open to all.

==History==

Over the years, GALF has hosted participants that include writers and artists of Goa, from the North-East and Kashmir, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, and has included themes like Dalit writing, poetry, graphic novels, and translations.<ref name="About">{{cite web|url=http://www.goaartlitfest.com/about.php|title=About Us|website=goaartlitfest.com|publisher=International Centre (Goa)|access-date=15 March 2017|archive-date=1 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301092726/http://www.goaartlitfest.com/about.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Among its participants were [[U. R. Ananthamurthy]] (2010); [[Teju Cole]], Pakistani novelist Bilal Tanweer, [[Gulzar]] and [[Amitav Ghosh]] (2011);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caravanmagazine.in/showcase/goa-arts-and-literary-festival|title=Goa Arts And Literary Festival|date=1 December 2011|website=Caravan Magazine|access-date=2018-11-25}}</ref> [[Mridula Garg]] and [[Eunice de Souza]] (2012);<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/3sTvqaooJ6AseJ5fPzwnnN/Open-season.html|title=Open season: A handy guide to this winter's literature festivals|last=Nair|first=Supriya|date=2012-11-16|work=LiveMint|access-date=2018-11-25}}</ref> [[Meera Kosambi]], [[Mitra Phukan]] and [[Arvind Krishna Mehrotra]] (2013);<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.goanews.com/news_disp.php?newsid=4673|title=Assam & Pakistani writers to be highlight of 4th Goa Lit Fest|date=2 December 2013|work=GoaNews.com}}</ref> [[Edwin Thumboo]] and [[Wendell Rodricks]] (2014).<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-edwin-thumboo-inaugurates-goa-arts-and-literature-fest-2041141|title=Edwin Thumboo inaugurates Goa Arts and Literature Fest|date=2014-12-05|work=DNA India|access-date=2018-11-25|language=en-US}}</ref> Samanth Subramaniam, French graphic novelist Nicolas Wild, the [[Bhand Pather]] theatre troupe directed by M K Raina, [[Uttar Kamalabari Satra]] led by Sri Sri Janardhan Deva Goswami, [[Naresh Fernandes]], the graphic novelist [[Amruta Patil]], [[Aditya Adhikari]], [[Mamang Dai]], [[Isabel de Santa Rita Vas]], Jerry Pinto, Shanta Gokhale (2018),<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://epaper.thegoan.net/m5/1929334/The-Goan-Everyday/The-Goan-Everyday#page/6/1|title=GALF Ends; Showcases books, writers, new outlooks|date=9 December 2018|work=The Goan Everyday|access-date=10 December 2018}}</ref> Indian-American rappers [[Chee Malabar]] and [[Himanshu Suri]], Pakistani satirical musician [[Ali Aftab Saeed]], American artist [[Daisy Rockwell]], writers and artists from Australia, Nepal and Singapore, and some locals, including school and college students.<ref name="About" />

=== 2013 ===
GALF also claims to have "consistently hosted some of the best lineups of contemporary poets ever assembled in contemporary India".<ref name="About" /> In 2013, there was an "unprecedented reunion of the great 'Bombay School' of poets who emerged in the 1970's, including [[Eunice de Souza]], [[Gieve Patel]], [[Arvind Krishna Mehrotra]] and [[Manohar Shetty]]."<ref name="About" />

=== 2014 ===
GALF 2014 saw senior journalists discuss "the changing nature of the national media". These included [[Rajdeep Sardesai]], [[Sagarika Ghose]], [[Sreenivasan Jain]], [[Naresh Fernandes]], [[Samar Halarnkar]], Priya Ramani, [[Govindraj Ethiraj]], [[Sachin Kalbag]], [[Prashant Jha]], [[Cyril Almeida]]. Then Indian Defense Minister [[Manohar Parrikar]] released Sardesai's ''2014: The Election that Changed India''.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Festival-season-Is-Panaji-the-new-culture-capital-of-India/articleshow/45341832.cms|title=Festival season: Is Panaji the new culture capital of India?|last=Menezes|first=Vivek|date=2 December 2014|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-11-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/galf-2014-promises-goans-broad-literary-treat/|title=GALF 2014 promises Goans broad literary treat|website=The Navhind Times|date=27 September 2014 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-06}}</ref>

=== 2016 ===
GALF 2016 included some new partnerships with Ministry of Culture, [[Government of India]] and North Eastern Council, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, Shillong Meghalaya. It featured speakers from around the world, like Landeg White (from [[Wales]]) and Angelica Freitas (from [[Brazil]]), and a host of Indians including [[Gerson da Cunha]], Nabina Das, [[Ranjit Hoskote]], [[K. Satchidanandan]], [[Mamang Dai]] and Mustansir Dalvi. It featured a book reading by Goan [[Manohar Shetty]] and had political activist from [[Tamil Nadu]], [[P. Sivakami|P Sivakami]], as a keynote speaker.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

Some of the books launched at the festival were ''Salt of the Earth'' (by [[Jayanti Naik]] and translated by Augusto Pinto), ''YugSanvar'' / ''Age of Frenzy'' (by Mahableshwar Sail and translated by Vidya Pai), ''Courage & Commitment'' (the memoirs of [[Margaret Alva]]), as well as other books in both [[Konkani language|Konkani]] and English including by Vincy Quadros, Kiran Budkuley, [[Odette Mascarenhas]], Hema Myer Sood, Bina Nayak, Aloysius D’souza, Ivan Arthur, Fernando Jorge Colaco and a showcase of a new book on Persian cuisines by award-winning food writer [[Naomi Duguid]].{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

The festival had a display of art by Delhi-based photographer and blogger Mayank Soofi and paintings by various Goa-based artists, led by Rajesh Salgaonkar.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

The event had a special focus on the art and literature from the North East states of India. It included special readings and discussions by literrateurs from the North-East. The inaugural evening featured a performance by [[Manipur]]-based folk rock band, [[Imphal Talkies and The Howlers|Imphal Talkies]]. The legendary rock musician from [[Meghalaya]], [[Lou Majaw]], honoured the reluctant [[Nobel Prize in Literature|Nobel Prize winner for Literature]], [[Bob Dylan]] with a special concert dedicated to him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goanobserver.in/2016/12/16/lit-fest-things-liberating-galf-16/|title=LIT FEST - ALL THINGS LIBERATING AT GALF '16!|date=2016-12-16|website=Goan Observer|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://goastreets.com/galf-2016-greatest-literary-bonanza-in-goa-history/|title=GALF 2016: Greatest Literary Bonanza in Goa History|website=Goa Streets|access-date=2018-12-06|archive-date=6 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181206235416/http://goastreets.com/galf-2016-greatest-literary-bonanza-in-goa-history/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===2017===
The 2017 festival, the 8th edition, was held on 7–10 December 2017. GALF 2017 included [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] winners like [[Ganesh Devy]], [[Ramachandra Guha]], [[Jerry Pinto]] and [[Ranjit Hoskote]], along with the 2015 [[Man Booker Prize]] nominee [[Anuradha Roy (novelist)|Anuradha Roy]].<ref name=":2" />

=== 2018 ===
The ninth edition of the festival was held from 6 to 8 December 2018. The keynote addresses at the inaugural were given by Sahitya Akademi award-winning writers [[Shashi Deshpande]] and [[Jerry Pinto]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=47373|title=Hope idea of Hindutva is rejected in upcoming polls: Author who returned Sahitya Award|date=7 December 2018|work=The Goan Everyday|access-date=10 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://scroll.in/bulletins/182/a-life-with-full-access-to-everything-without-owning-anything|title=Jerry Pinto on fear, hate – and the magical power of words|last=Pinto|first=Jerry|date=8 December 2018|work=Scroll.in|access-date=11 December 2018}}</ref> The ninth edition was co-curated by Damodar Mauzo and Vivek Menezes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://epaper.thegoan.net/c/34758191|title=GALF Ends; Showcases books, writers, new outlooks|last=Abreu|first=Aliya|date=9 December 2018|work=The Goan Everyday|access-date=10 December 2018}}</ref> It featured book releases like ''Sita Valles: Revolutionary Until Death'' by [[Frederick Noronha]]'s Goa 1556.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/the-tale-of-an-unknown-revolutionary/|title=The tale of an unknown revolutionary|last=Machado|first=Christine|date=6 December 2018|website=The Navhind Times|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-10}}</ref>

==Response==
The online StageCulture.com said of GALF: "Hosted annually in December, this Fest has proven beyond doubt, that Goa is much more than just a hip beach destination and rave hotspot."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mishra|first1=Gauri|title=7 Literary Festivals of India – Art & Culture Jamboree|url=http://blog.stageculture.com/others/7-literary-festivals-india-art-culture-jamboree/|website=blog.stageculture.com|access-date=16 March 2017}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Skyscanner.co.in said: "The Goa Arts and Literary festival ... is now in its fifth year, and is quickly establishing itself as one of the literary events of the year. In between attending literary events, readings and book launches, you’ll be able to visit the popular beaches of [G]oa for some sun, sand and seafood! ...Participation is free, with pre-registration."<ref>{{cite web|title=Literary Festivals in INdia|url=https://www.skyscanner.co.in/news/literary-festivals-india|website=skyscanner.co.in|publisher=Skyscanner|access-date=16 March 2017|date=2014-09-07}}</ref>

Writing in ''[[The Navhind Times]]'', one critical point of view commented: "Goa needs to create rooms of its own to spur on the creative process. But, now, just when writers from here have an enhanced chance of getting heard, we could be building new hierarchies. Local work needs to be validated by the tastes of someone in New Delhi or New York, before it can be deemed as significant and having value for Goa. This is a deeply disturbing idea, even if it is implemented subconsciously. There seems to be little consultation happening to source out potential participants. In the case of national and international participants, one can go by what is said about them, or reputations built in other literary festivals. How does one choose participation from Goa when we are still to understand the field of who’s doing what?"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/a-room-of-our-own/|title=A room of our own?|last1=Noronha|first1=Frederick|author-link=Frederick Noronha|website=navhindtimes.in|date=12 December 2015 |publisher=The Navhind Times|access-date=16 March 2017}}</ref>

Mridula Garg writes, "Sometimes, in a blink of an eye, we discover that the someone we thought lay at the extreme end of the margin is actually closest to us; in fact is our alter ego... That is the point when we begin to create literature or art. That’s why a Damodar Mauzo can write about a Goan boy’s life in East Africa in the last century with the same ease he can write about Goa now. It’s important to remember that the margin is not a homogeneous space. Within the margin lie a number of invisible margins peopled with dissenters. And each of them is a significant other because dissent is the life-blood of literature and social change."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tambdimati.com/article/goa-as-literature/|title=Goa as Literature|last=Garg|first=Mridula|website=Tambdi Mati|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506170100/http://www.tambdimati.com/article/goa-as-literature/|archive-date=2017-05-06|url-status=dead|access-date=2018-12-06}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Jaipur Literature Festival]]
* [[International Film Festival of India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.internationalcentregoa.com/category/goa-arts-literary-festival/ GALF on ICG site]
*[https://www.youtube.com/user/icggoa/videos Videos from GALF (amidst other subjects)]

[[Category:2010 establishments in Goa]]
[[Category:December]]
[[Category:Festivals established in 2010]]
[[Category:Festivals in Goa]]
[[Category:Literary festivals in India]]
[[Category:Arts festivals in India]]

Goa Arts and Literature Festival - Revision history

Beefurb at 12:53, 9 March 2026