I have travelled to many literature festivals all around the world but have never encountered a Feedback Corner as in the case of Gujarat Literature Festival. One, the Feedback Corner does not look like a reaction corner; on the contrary, it resembles a Magic Corner. On the surface, the large banyan tree reserved for feedback appears like a wish-fulfilling tree. We have seen such trees in Hindi movies where the heroine circulates the tree with a red thread and prays for her husband’s long life. Except this one is not regressive and promotes a bigger message. Every guest writes her suggestions/ reactions on a small card and ties it up to a branch. When I stopped to write my observations I discovered that more than 5000 people had pinned up their expressions.
How I love this idea, the junior assistant told me that when the festival ends all these suggestions will be collected and given to the authority so that next year Gujarat Literature Festival will aspire to be even better than 2018. I think it is a terrific idea.
@bhawanasomaaya