I remember when I did my library science course (23 years ago!), one of the subjects was ‘classification’. This soon had me completely fascinated. I realised, with a pleasantly sharp thrill, that the classification of books was the classification of all human knowledge and imagination through time.
This, then, is what books do. They carry knowledge and imagination through time and space, for humanity to reach out to itself, to understand, to introspect, to explore. To comprehend and rejoice in similarities and differences of emotions and experience.
This connection, however, usually takes place in isolation, which sounds like a contradiction. The writer writes, the reader reads, separately, and a connection happens.
Enter Atta Galatta, with its author events, and suddenly, the connection is a physical connection. The reader meets the author, hears passages from the book read in the author’s own voice, and has a sneak peek into the book came to be. Questions are asked, clarifications sought. There is a face, a voice, a being behind the byline.
And how do you classify that? A rapport? A guideline, a learning experience? I won’t try. I’ll just say it’s the magic of the moment! The least I can do is share some pictures reminiscing the various authors we have had the chance to interact with, over the past several years at Atta Galatta.
“The first time she did that, I was so unprepared that I let go of the leash. Lizzie jumped up the tree, held on the the lowest branch for dear life, and as gravity would have its way, fell down on the soft grass.” Dr. Radha Vasan reading from her book ‘Paws & Jaws’. (Dr. Vasan visited Atta Galatta accompanied by her son and two furbabies.)
“ … the elder son and the mother are always at loggerheads. Consequently, everybody else in the family has some conflict or the other going on. And this, in a way, is echoed by the conflict outside in the city. In the book the family is a metaphor for the city outside, and at the end of the book the family finds its peace. They start trusting one another again. I end on the hope that the city also will find the secret reservoir of love that used to bind them all together.” Sadiqa Peerbhoy, about her book ‘House of Discord’.
Sagarika Ghose reading from her book – ‘Why I am a Liberal’.
Avik Chanda discussing his book Anchor, during a conversation with Bhaskar Chattopadhyay.
“Why don’t humans try to wag their tails? It’s a puzzle, it’s a mystery. Woof woof, mew mew, moo, moo, chirp, chirp.” – Song by Celia and Tarun Cherian at the launch of ‘Buffy’s Doggy Revelations’.
A Window to Her Dreams – Harshali Singh in conversation with Nandita Bose.
Launch of Naveen Chaudhary’s book Janta Store, in conversation with Sourav Roy.
Launch of Cyrus Mistry’s book Corpse Bearer.
Christos Tsiolkas discussing his book Barracuda, in conversation with Nandita Bose.
Nicolas C. Grey and James Farley launching their book, ‘This Dog Barking – The Strange Story of U.G. Krishnamurti’
Lalita Iyer discusses her book ‘The Whole Shebang: Sticky Bits of Being a Woman’, during a conversation with Andaleeb Wajid.
“For the baby, out of sight is out of mind. So if they don’t see you, they just sleep through, as long as they get the milk. It sounded like a perfect plan, except I didn’t realize how hard it would be to stay one feed ahead of the baby.” Lalita Iyer, reading about advice she received as a new Mom, as described in ‘I’m Pregnant, Not Terminally Ill, You Idiot’.
Subramanian Sriram during the launch of his book, ‘Rain – A Survivor’s Tale’
Anita Anand reading from her book, Cholo Kolkata.
Sonali Bhatia is a Bengaluru based writer and storyteller.
Bengaluru Review 