Literary Meet in Bhutan to Bestow Over Environment, Bike Rides and Traditions

The seventh edition of the Mountain Echoes Literature Festival, which will be held at Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan, from August 26-28, will showcase art, culture, literature, environment and contemporary issues.

Apart from that, Bhutan’s literary festival will simultaneously focus on the 400th anniversary of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the first ruler who had united the country as one. According to EXIN Times sources, the literary festival will inaugurate with a conversation on ‘Climate Change and Its Impact’ and will be presented by Indian author Amitav Ghosh. Mountain Echoes 2016 will be introduced by Indian ambassador Jaideep Sarkar at a time when countries across the world are facing frequent consequences of environmental degradation.

The three-day-long literary festival will also incorporate number of workshops like such as “Elements of a Story: Creative Writing Workshop, arranged by Sonam Wangmo Jhalani. Indian fusion rock band, Indian Ocean’s live performance is another attraction of the meet. ‘Bonfire Tales’, a cultural motorbike ride to the Phobjikha valley in the black mountains of Bhutan and then to Punakha will be introduced this year.

A photography exhibition by Sudhir Kasliwal and another by eminent  by Dorji Dhradhul, named as ‘goof to great Gasa’ will showcase the culture and history, nature and traditions of the tiny, mountain bound city Gasa, situated in the north western part of the country.   

Mountain Echoes 2016 is a joint initiative of the India-Bhutan Foundation and is powered by the government of Rajasthan. Siyahi, a literary consultancy from India will produce the event in Bhutan. her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck is the Chief Royal Patron of Mountain Echoes. 

Festival co-director Namita Gokhale said: “We are all looking forward with eager anticipation to the seventh edition of this exquisite festival. High altitude thinking in the unique cultural climate and rarefied environment of the ancient kingdom of Bhutan, which is also the world’s youngest democracy.” Bhutan, with one-third greenery, is considered as one of the greenest countries of the world.