Lucknow: The Koshala Literature Festival (KoLiF) raised the curtain on its fifth edition yesterday, 14 November, with an evening at Kkothi Mall in Malihabad. It is a century-old heritage kothi of Awadhi arches, carved pillars and mango-orchard courtyards. The curtain raiser revealed the Edition 5 theme: “Rediscovering Humanity through Rediscovering Heritage.” The festival itself is yet to come and will be held from 27 to 30 November 2026 at the Lucknow Museum of Heritage and Art (LMHA), Clock Tower, Hussainabad.
Three voices behind the festival
Three people anchored the evening: founder Prashant Kumar Singh and mentors Nishi Pandey and Ajay Jain.
Prashant Kumar Singh said the theme grew out of what Lucknow already is: a city of many languages, flavours, sounds and art forms. KoLiF exists, he said, to honour all those voices in one place and to make the city feel its own story again.
Nishi Pandey called literature the most inclusive of all expressions, wide enough to hold crafts within it. Art, she said, is unique, but craft can be replicated, and that is exactly why craft needs a stage. KoLiF sets itself apart by championing not only what is one of a kind but also the craftsmanship that carries a culture forward, giving artisans a platform through its bazaars.
Ajay Jain, a lifelong lover of poetry, said he is proud to be part of the festival. He spoke at length on why festivals like this matter: they keep language and tradition alive, give emerging poets and performers a stage, and bring a city together.
An evening that set the tone
The guest list brought together eminent citizens, delegates, VIPs, leading influencers and owners and custodians of heritage properties from across the region. A curated Awadhi dinner was followed by a qawwali by the Ali Brothers under the courtyard arches. The festival team also gave guests an early look at the programme.
Hosting the curtain raiser in a working heritage kothi was deliberate. KoLiF treats culture, hospitality and tourism as one story. Dinners, walks and performances in heritage spaces bring new audiences to historic buildings and new visitors to Lucknow.
“Some evenings feel as though the festival has already begun. This was one of them.”
What awaits on 27–30 November
KoLiF is organised by Koshala Arts and Crafts Private Limited and Perspective Cultural Foundation. Since its first edition in 2022, it has grown into one of North India’s most anticipated cultural gatherings. Last year it brought over 60 speakers to more than 50 sessions. Edition 5 aims higher.
Upcoming speakers
Literature and ideas: Purushottam Agrawal, Neera Chandhoke, Omair Ahmad, Akshat Gupta, Suman Keshari, Satyarth Anirudh Pankaj, Kanupriya Dhingra, Aakriti Mandhwani
History and heritage: Anirudh Kanisetti, Anoushka Jain, Ravi Bhatt, Taqi Abbas, Maroof Culmen
Cinema, theatre and storytelling: Padma Shri Bhawana Somaaya, Aahana Kumra, Nitin Sukhija, Ananya Thakur, Gyanendra Pratap Singh
Governance and public life: Navneet Sehgal, Alok Ranjan, Chhavi Rajawat, Jayant Krishna
Journalism and politics: Ruhi Tewari, Tabeenah Anjum, Shailvee Sharda, Devanshi Seth
Food and culture: Tarana Husain Khan, Taiyaba Ali, Zeenat Abbasi, Mujtaba Khan
Nature, art and architecture: Neha Sinha, Taha Ahmad, Dr Vandana Sehgal
Poetry and performance: Rohit Singh, Aryansh Arora
Emerging voices and community: Prakruti Maniar, Raghav Mimani, Urvi Singh, Saloni Khanna, Nishi Pandey, Tahira Hasan
Glimpses of the conversations
Kabir, Gandhi and the history of ideas: with Purushottam Agrawal
Begums, women and forgotten histories: with Anoushka Jain and Bhawana Somaaya
The Nawabs of Lucknow and the stories behind the city’s walls: with Ravi Bhatt and Taqi Abbas
Lucknow’s tables: home kitchens, royal recipes and lost dishes, with Taiyaba Ali, Tarana Husain Khan and Zeenat Abbasi
Politics, power and the women’s vote: with Ruhi Tewari and Tabeenah Anjum
Nature in the city: with Neha Sinha
Urdu and the art of the storyteller: with Mujtaba Khan and Nitin Sukhija
Leaving a corporate career to lead a village: with Chhavi Rajawat
Books, reading and bookshops: with Kanupriya Dhingra and Aakriti Mandhwani
Other themes include digital culture and GenAI, everyday feminism, global diaspora and identity, and the revival of vernacular languages.
Offerings
Books & Conversations: author sessions with live Q&As and book signings
Poetry & Mushaira: evenings of Hindi and Urdu verse
Sufi Evenings and Dance & Music: ghazal, Sufi music and performance
Heritage Walks through Lucknow’s layered Nawabi, colonial and composite architecture
Culinary Explorations and Bespoke Dinners: Awadhi cooking beyond biryani
Local Art Experiences and Hunarshala, the platform for emerging talent
Koshala Haat: a bazaar of craft, books, block printing and artisan work, where the craftsmanship Nishi Pandey spoke of takes centre stage
Do not miss it
The curtain raiser was a glimpse of what is coming. The full festival has four days of conversations, performances and flavours. Heritage walks, bespoke dinners and evening mehfils run on limited capacity, and people who wait may find the best experiences taken.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=RtToJsBhYBatUrym&v=mOuYNSdhjHA&feature=youtu.be
