Mussoorie Writers Mountain Festival commences from today
Mussoorie: With the winterline firmly in place, the Queen of Hills Mussoorie, looks all ready to play the perfect host to eminent authors, mountaineers, conservationists, artists, musicians, filmmakers and photographers from India as well as abroad.
The Mussoorie Writers Mountain Festival (MWMF) in its 7th year, will be a four day affair which will see a series of short talks, performances, screenings, workshops and exhibitions at Woodstock School.
The theme this year being, “women and mountains”, the focus like author Stephen Alter, the brain behind the festival puts it, is on “women climbers, writers and social activists, all of whom have a special affinity for the Himalayas.”
With close to 6,000 people having attended the festival in the past few years, it has become a landmark of sorts. MWMF celebrates Himalayan culture, natural history and exploration while inspiring students and mountain enthusiasts of all ages to discover, appreciate, enjoy and learn about the Himalaya. This year ́s festival program includes a concert by acclaimed blues band Soulmate with singer Tipriti Kharbangar from Shillong, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour screening, MWMF ́s first Photo Essay competition and wildlife and nature films by Sandesh Kadur. Another draw will be the keynote speaker, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner , the first woman to climb all 14 peaks above 8,000 meters without supplemental oxygen.
For an authentic taste of Himalayan culture, one will get to witness the re enactenment of the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra. Another feat would be the Mussoorie Half Marathon, sure to challenge the best of runners, thanks to being held at 7000 feet.
