Literature fans thronged a truncated one-day edition of the Lahore Literary Festival.
Beset by security concerns, a truncated one-day schedule and last-minute venue shift was no barrier to the Lahoris who swarmed Faletti’s Hotel for the fifth annual Lahore Literary Festival on Saturday.
This year’s star attraction was Monty Python’s Michael Palin, who regaled audiences with his experiences in the comedy troupe and travels across the world. Other popular draws included authors Dr. Syed Adeeb-ul-Hasan Rizvi, Teju Cole, Kamila Shamsie, Mohsin Hamid, and William Dalrymple; journalists Alex von Tunzelmann, Molly Crabapple, Max Rodenbeck, and Ahmed Rashid; and local luminaries such as Shabnam Ghosh, Nayyar Ali Dada and Salima Hashmi.
Opening night of @lhrlitfest #LLF2017… undaunted and determined @razi_ahmed_ pic.twitter.com/UZ0qVtVkPt
— Maha Khan Phillips (@MahaKhanPhillip) February 25, 2017
Waiting w/ bated breath & stuffed parrot for Michael Palin. Had I a hat, I'd be doffing it to #LLF2017 for pulling things off with aplomb.
— Maheen (@maheenp) February 25, 2017
And #LLF2017 begins. pic.twitter.com/od689705g4
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) February 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/ChachiChatters/status/835356747120394240
https://twitter.com/QasimNauman/status/835358053809651713
"Its fitting that #Pythonesque celebrates the absurd. We should do that more it's a much saner approach to understanding reality' #LLF2017
— Maria Amir (@Beentherella) February 25, 2017
I have to say satire has not suffered from Trump coming to office: Michael Palin #LLF2017
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) February 25, 2017
#LLF2017's first session opens to a packed to capacity Hall 1. I love this city. #Lahore
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) February 25, 2017
Michael Palin discusses religion & humour at #LLF #LLF2017 with @kamilashamsie @lhrlitfest pic.twitter.com/CPY8aK6quX
— Alexandra Pringle (@AlexandraPring) February 25, 2017
First person to stop by the DWL #LLF2017 stall today: the brilliant @tejucole – Here he is, with his copy of Papercuts Vol. 15. pic.twitter.com/vJCaYuY2hJ
— Desi Writers' Lounge (@desi_writers) February 25, 2017
Early nomination for top moment of #LLF2017: Local legend Amin Hafeez interviews Michael Palin pic.twitter.com/Ms6IGraleX
— Wali Tirmizi (@walitirmizi) February 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/ChachiChatters/status/835372489693868032
#LLF2017 mothers wives daughters courtesans of the #Raj pic.twitter.com/ZBoy5cSgcM
— Nilofer Afridi Qazi (@ninoqazi) February 25, 2017
Katie Hickman is telling us about the 1st Englishwomen to go out to India @lhrlitfest #LLF2017 @PindarDiamond pic.twitter.com/7mJR5k5oP5
— Alexandra Pringle (@AlexandraPring) February 25, 2017
We're sitting here discussing "Fake news" and all the conversation revolves around Trump. #LLF2017
— Shahab Siddiqi (@UncleFu) February 25, 2017
Fake news determines real events -Nermeen Shaikh at LLF. UN SG said to build peace speaking truth vital #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/euRTs3nj7Z
— Neil Buhne (@NeilBuhne) February 25, 2017
The #LLF2017 is absolutely lit. Been here a half hour and have already heard Margaret Macmillan talk like the godfather.
— peshawar zalmi stan account (@aliflaameem) February 25, 2017
Ahmed Rashid – too much tweeting substitutes for real news & make it difficult to write narratives needed to understand complexity.#LLF2017
— Neil Buhne (@NeilBuhne) February 25, 2017
Start your morning with a Python and @kamilashamsie. The rest of the day can't go wrong. #LLF2017
— TheWodehouseSociety (@dronesinlahore) February 25, 2017
Fake News with @therealfasih Ahmed Rashid, @maxrodenbeck and @QasimNauman #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/kkNH6QVfdz
— LLF (@lhrlitfest) February 25, 2017
Michael Palin after his session. #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/PMBG2tDQLA
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) February 25, 2017
#LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/V2OK34QVTS
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) February 25, 2017
Who Belongs Where? Mohsin Hamid and Teju Cole at @lhrlitfest #LLF2017
I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS pic.twitter.com/T2eunQ2I4d
— Humza Aasim Yusuf (@humzaay) February 25, 2017
#LLF2017 #Kipling pic.twitter.com/LvNZHMiH6q
— Raza Ali Dada (@razaalidada) February 25, 2017
Do you write for people at home or foreigners? Question asked of writers of colour. @tejucole and @mohsin_hamid in conversation at #LLF2017
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) February 25, 2017
Jam packed halls for 'Who Belongs Where?' with @mohsin_hamid and @tejucole at #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/OKE3FWXChM
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) February 25, 2017
Is Lahore on its way to becoming a London, or is London on its way to becoming like Lahore? @tejucole asks at #LLF2017
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) February 25, 2017
Good to see literary festivals such as #LLF2017 taking place in #lahore – best of luck to all the participants and organizers! @lhrlitfest
— Faran Tahir (@farantahir_) February 25, 2017
Please make sure recipes are hidden, incase of a nuclear war. It would be terrible to lose the recipe of Biryani: Teju Cole #LLF2017
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) February 25, 2017
The many shades to the legend, Dr. Adeeb ul Hassan Rizvi ~ the student leader. the rebel. the romantic. the helper #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/Y7UptBlEKV
— Mavra Zehra (@MavraZehra) February 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/Chandrana7/status/835405164374867968
Daniyal Mueenuddin with Kamila Shamsie at @lhrlitfest #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/SBQ2arcCVY
— Ali Hafeez (@_alihafeez) February 25, 2017
Zehra Nigah in convo with Arfa Syeda Zahra #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/vPsXKt3eFH
— Sheharyar Rizwan (@sheharyarizwan) February 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/ChachiChatters/status/835411508083437568
Daniyal is a little in love with Crystal- the protagonist in his upcoming bildungsroman "This is Where the Serpent Lives"#LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/uqNTZqmMAY
— Aysha Raja (@aysharalam) February 25, 2017
Art in the Age of Fascism. @mollycrabapple with Salima Hashmi. #HappeningNow #LLF2017 @lhrlitfest #Lahore pic.twitter.com/w5UlaE5Krf
— Zara Hafeez (@zara_hafeez) February 25, 2017
A drone flies up to the stage in the middle of the session. Molly Crabapple: What is this dystopia we live in?! The drone retreats. #LLF2017
— Mariam TS (@mariamtee) February 25, 2017
Zara apa ke saath saath @lhrlitfest #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/b2kZq85RQW
— Muhammad Sajid (@MSajidPervaiz) February 25, 2017
Dr. Adeeb-Ul-Hasan Rizvi gets the lifetime achievement award #LLF2017 https://t.co/RZgFRpvZ8e pic.twitter.com/vsV4xFNlco
— Images (@dawn_images) February 25, 2017
'Exit West' book launch. Mohsin Hamid with Dwight Garner. #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/js8nTFdb6r
— Rabiya Altaf (@RAltaf) February 25, 2017
Jeff Koehler and Momima Aijazuddin in conversation. Talk titled "From Morocco to Darjeeling: Food, Tea, and Wanderlust" #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/k4clRItFhG
— Shameel Mazhar (@ShameelMazhar) February 25, 2017
'Nixon, Mao and Pakistan' with F. S. Aijazuddin and Margaret MacMillan #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/4UrUGlaQqg
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) February 25, 2017
Mohsin Hamid re: becoming a writer: I felt an enormous desire to communicate something I felt it was very difficult to communicate. #LLF2017
— Mariam TS (@mariamtee) February 25, 2017
To make art is a form of love and defiance, says @mollycrabapple at #LLF2017 @lhrlitfest pic.twitter.com/AhBAlpAlPI
— Maha Khan Phillips (@MahaKhanPhillip) February 25, 2017
Ayesha Jalal and @DalrympleWill talking about #Pakistan at 70. #LLF2017 @lhrlitfest pic.twitter.com/H852aJ6YMC
— Ali Hafeez (@_alihafeez) February 25, 2017
#pakistan many worry how will pakistan survive what is more remarkable How it has survived ? #ayeshajalal #LLF2017
— Nilofer Afridi Qazi (@ninoqazi) February 25, 2017
What the hell is going on this world&what can the literary world do about it? Dwight Garner opens the panel #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/T7F7wdOhm0
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) February 25, 2017
How wonderful. Dr Adeeb Rizvi has done so much for Pakistan!
So sorry to be missing suchgreat talks in #LLF2017 @lhrlitfest @razi_ahmed_ https://t.co/itWjyMjxWd
— Fifi Haroon (@fifiharoon) February 25, 2017
"This might be very elitist of me, but my books are for people who read books," says Teju Cole. Audience teetering away. #LLF2017
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) February 25, 2017
One liner on #LLF2017:
"Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly."
Lahore needs events like LLF.— Ajmal Jami (@ajmaljami) February 25, 2017
#llf2017 here we are pic.twitter.com/JtTBrQZlzw
— Haroon (@witticism) February 25, 2017
Shabnam Ghosh at her best ❤❤ #LLF2017 #ArtsAboveAll pic.twitter.com/jT79HYwhqG
— Dure Dewan (@dureakram) February 25, 2017
It has generated more heat than light #kohinoor @DalrympleWill #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/KQp6sDKjdy
— Nilofer Afridi Qazi (@ninoqazi) February 25, 2017
Just like every year! Thank you, #Lahore! #LLF2017 https://t.co/reVRWcMUSs
— Ali Hafeez (@_alihafeez) February 25, 2017
The sparkling lights of #Lahore from the skies above….#LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/fsnnZC2U13
— Peter Frankopan (@peterfrankopan) February 25, 2017
Michael Palin talking with great tenderness of his time in Peshawar and Chitral. #LLF2017 #loveaffaircontinues pic.twitter.com/owaYAwFFfA
— Aysha Raja (@aysharalam) February 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/ChachiChatters/status/835483571603320832
https://twitter.com/ChachiChatters/status/835484350288441344
Okay, Micheal Palin just did an elephant impression ???? #LLF2017
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) February 25, 2017
"Pakistan has a wonderful, vital, lively energy to it."-Michael Palin. #LLF2017
— Ifra Asad (@ifra_asad) February 25, 2017
What a triumph #LLF2017 has been. Kudos @razi_ahmed_ @lhrlitfest and the booksellers and audiences. Oh, and maybe the speakers also.
— Kamila Shamsie (@kamilashamsie) February 25, 2017
And that concludes it. Thanks @lhrlitfest for a wonderful event! #LLF2017 pic.twitter.com/A2QirpBw8O
— Ifra Asad (@ifra_asad) February 25, 2017
To sum up, there's nothing @lhrlitfest can't do. Here's to five years of the best gift to the city of Lahore. #LLF2017
— Rimmel Mohydin (@Rimmel_Mohydin) February 25, 2017
A great big shout out to the #LLF2017 team for reflecting what is best about this country in the worst of times.
— Maria Amir (@Beentherella) February 26, 2017