The joy of discovery: Lit Fest fosters community, celebrating unique literary finds; Readers reconnect with physical books and shared experiences

The Lit Fest has been unfolding through the week, growing steadily as readers return day after day to explore what they missed earlier. People of all ages were mingling around, moving between stalls, listening in on sessions, and pausing wherever something unexpected caught their attention.

The pace has stayed easy and unhurried, which seems to be part of the appeal.Across the grounds, conversations have been forming naturally. Readers compared finds, pointed strangers to their favourite stalls and lingered at displays that held them a little longer. Marathi, English and Hindi shifted calmly through the space, giving the festival a quiet, multilingual hum.Illustrator Preity Galani came looking for something she could not discover online.

“I want books that will not show up on BookTok or in my recommendations,” she said. She added that the chance to flip through a book before choosing it mattered to her. “You sometimes discover a book only because it is in your hand. That is the kind of discovery I miss online.”

Designer and animator Shreya Sudhindra saw the week-long festival as a place where reading becomes visible again. “Events like this remind people that reading is a shared activity,” she said.

“You see others browsing, discussing, getting excited about books. It makes the habit feel alive.” She was exploring new queer magic-realism titles, describing them as “refreshing because they let you feel things you do not often see written.

”For Hema Jethwani, the pull was the presence behind the writing. “You can tell when a book has been written by a person,” she said. “That emotional tone is very clear on the page.

It is why physical books still feel different.”Design student Teresa Pongen connected with the physicality of the format. “Books hold memory,” she said. “The old notes, the worn pages, the feel of it. You remember where you were when you last read it.”Across the week, the Lit Fest has stayed steady and welcoming, giving readers the space to slow down, browse thoughtfully and reconnect with books in a way that feels personal again.Lit Fest SessionsGirija Oak on Virality, Visibility and Why Real Women Deserve Real StoriesGirija Oak’s session at Pune Lit Fest unfolded with an easy warmth as she revisited the now-famous moment that unexpectedly turned her into the internet’s “national crush.” The way she narrated it had the audience laughing, a completely ordinary, almost throwaway anecdote that somehow caught fire online. Reflecting on the randomness of it all, she said, “What you do is up to you, what people pick up and like is not up to you.

” It set the tone for a conversation that was thoughtful, funny and disarmingly grounded.What truly held the room was her take on how women continue to be written in mainstream cinema. Without sermonising, she pointed out how female characters still tend to be fully realised only in women-centric films, asking simply, “There are women in your lives, why don’t they show up on screen?” It was an honest question about the gap between real life and the way stories are built.

Oak also spoke about representation with the same clarity, wondering why families portrayed on screen rarely look like the ones we actually see around us. She balanced critique with humour, slipping into anecdotes from theatre and film that revealed how she thinks about craft, dignity and the work itself.By the end of the session, the crowd was responding not to a viral star but to the artist, someone who knows exactly why she does what she does.

And if more people discover her work, including her independently released series The Perfect Family, because of a random online moment, she is more than happy to ride the wave with grace.Sachin and Shriya Pilgaonkar Bring Heart and Humour to Pune Lit FestSachin and Shriya Pilgaonkar’s joint session felt like listening to two artists who share history, affection and an instinctive understanding of each other’s world. Shriya spoke openly about navigating a career shaped in part by her father’s legacy, while still trying to carve her own space.

The moment that warmed the entire room came when Sachin turned to her and told her, “I am very proud of you.”They revisited her entry into the industry, with Sachin recalling how surprised and delighted he was when she chose acting over her promising path as a competitive swimmer. Shriya then reflected on finding her footing in the streaming era, which gave her roles that allowed her to be remembered even in a single episode, like her recent appearance in Mandala Murders.

She also spoke about how she shields her parents from the harsher parts of social media, calling it a space where “everyone keeps judging everyone.” Both father and daughter agreed that the only constant in a creative life is the work itself. Shriya summed it up with, “You have to be emotionally very strong and honest with yourself.” Sachin added his own philosophy, saying, “Change is the only constant in the universe.

If you accept change, only then will you be able to move forward.”The session flowed with warmth, gentle humour and mutual respect, offering a rare look at two artists who share a craft, a bond and a belief that the work, not the noise around it, is what endures.BOX 2Banu Mushtaq

Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq’s session focused on the layered, often invisible emotional journeys of women, drawing from her acclaimed collection The Heart Lamp. She spoke about the universal experiences that connect women across religion, class and geography, weaving in themes of identity, resilience and the quiet negotiations that shape daily life. Mushtaq reflected on her own path as a lawyer and writer, and how personal moments, including early marriage and motherhood, informed her understanding of women’s inner worlds. Her session resonated for its simplicity and depth, offering a gentle but sharp look at how women navigate freedom, expectation and selfhood.