The Writers Bar, at Raffles Udaipur, recently set the stage for a dream get-together for any reader with some of the most prominent names in the Indian literary industry coming together for swapping ideas and hosting invigorating conversations.
The dark wooden interiors and the bar’s expansive collection of carefully curated books and cocktails were perfectly complimentary to the various conversations around a diverse range of topics, including food, mental health, historical events, and writing inspirations.
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Mita Kapur, founder and CEO of literary agency Siyahi and the literary director of the JCB Prize for Literature, helped curate the two-day event.
“The Writers Bar at Raffles Udaipur lends itself to conversations around books, storytelling, a sharing of ideas and creative energies,” said Kapur on the unique event, “It, brings together diverse and vibrant voices from a new generation of writers who have written about partition stories, contemporary fiction, food, and emotional wellbeing in an attempt by Siyahi to give our audiences a fulfilling and memorable experience.”
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The first day kicked off with a session that hosted The Zoya Factor writer Anuja Chauhan and The Heat and Dust Project writer Devapriya Roy. One of the most widely read authors in India, Chauhan admitted that her advertising background comes in handy when it comes to writing page-turners. She also revealed that she is currently working on an OTT series, so keep your eyes peeled for an announcement soon!
In another session, writer and historian Aanchal Malhotra spoke about the enduring and devastating effects of the Partition and why she continues to write about it, “I write history out of necessity because there needs to be someone who writes history for young people in a language that they understand.
Chef Anahita Dhondy and Mita Kapur got together to discuss how food can tell different stories in the next session. The next morning’s session with author and psychologist Pragati Sureka and HELLO! India’s Editor-in-Chief Ruchika Mehta covered emotional well-being and how important it has become to destigmatize mental health issues in our society.
The Writers Bar Soirée came to its conclusion with a cooking masterclass with Chef Dhondy, who not only showed how to recreate some of her best recipes but also dispensed some sage kitchen wisdom.
You can add Raffles Udaipur’s The Writers Bar to your must-visit list, especially if you’re a bibliophile!
