The Koshala Literature Festival (KLF) is all set to enchant Lucknow once again from November 27–30 at UP Darshan Park, uniting acclaimed writers, performers and cultural icons in a vibrant celebration of literature, arts and dialogue.
Tribute to UNESCO’s ‘Creative City of Gastronomy’ tag
This edition will honour Lucknow’s fresh global accolade from UNESCO as a ‘Creative City of Gastronomy’, while paying homage to the city’s centuries-old legacy of poetry, intellect and artistic refinement.
Founder Prashant Singh said: "Lucknow has always celebrated diversity, in its language, food, music and art. With UNESCO recognising Lucknow as a 'Creative City of Gastronomy', we feel an even deeper responsibility to honour every shade of its creativity. KLF is our tribute to the many voices, traditions and stories that make Lucknow not just a city, but a shared emotion."
Rich thematic sessions
Over four days, sessions will delve into mythology, women’s narratives, cultural memory, resilience, social change, digital imagination and the evolving interplay between tradition and modernity.
The festival will feature prominent Indian and international voices including Ghazala Wahab, Manjari Chaturvedi, Anuja Chandramouli, Alka Pande, Koral Dasgupta, Neha Dixit, Muzaffar Ali, Kaveree Bamzai, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Rajit Kapoor.
A major highlight of KLF 2025 is the introduction of the ‘Sahir Ludhianvi Award’ for poetry – a prestigious new national literary prize recognising poetic excellence in separate categories for male and female poets.
International cultural collaborations
French poet Monia Aljalis, Spanish scholar Guillermo Rodríguez Martín and dancer-choreographer Monica de la Fuente, whose work bridges Indian and Spanish performing traditions, will add a global dimension to the festival.
Evenings will turn into enchanting mehfils with a Hemant Kumar tribute, Sujoy Ghosh’s “One Man Orchestra”, "Shaam-e-Sufiyana" with Vidya Shah, a grand mushaira, and a spectacular finale by Chugge Khan with “Qawwali from the Sand Dunes”.
Daawat-e-Sukhan: Poetry meets gastronomy
Celebrating Lucknow’s UNESCO recognition, the festival presents "Daawat-e-Sukhan" – an exclusive trilogy of gastronomic-poetic soirées blending verse and cuisine at Celestial Manor, Khajurgaon Palace and Clarks Awadh.
The ‘Koshala Talent Hunt’ will showcase rising poets, writers and performers, while the festival market and Koshala Haat will offer books, crafts, artworks and authentic Awadhi street food.
