Kannada-language writer Banu Mushtaq leads session at Saudi Arabia’s storytelling festival
A workshop titled “Writing the
Self” was held on 26 November at the Diriyah
Storytelling Festival, under the 2025 Diriyah Season. The session was led
by Indian author Banu
Mushtaq at the Al-Bujairi venue. It guided participants on transforming
personal experiences, memories and emotions into narrative writing —
highlighting the power of self-reflection in shaping stories.
Mushtaq, a Kannada-language writer,
lawyer and activist, is known for her short-story collection Heart Lamp, which
earned the 2025
International Booker Prize — the first time the award went to a
Kannada-language work and to a short-story collection. Her writing often
explores themes like women’s lives, social inequality and identity, which
reflect the workshop’s core focus.
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This workshop was part of a broader
festival programme running from 16 to 29 November, bringing together writers,
storytellers, artists and publishers across venues including Al-Bujairi and Bab
Samhan Hotel. Festival offerings included storytelling nights, writing and
illustration workshops, book fairs, reading spaces — blending traditional
storytelling with modern narrative forms.
Organizers said that Mushtaq’s participation
lent an international dimension to this year’s festival, offering attendees a
unique opportunity to learn how to turn personal or cultural material into
structured literary
Source: https://madhyamamonline.com/
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