The DLF's year-long outreach programme, 'Chai and Chapter Trails', will start in Dec 2026, which will focus on regional writing, translation and the indigenous heritage of the 'Queen of the Hills'.

The DLF's year-long outreach programme, 'Chai and Chapter Trails', will start in Dec 2026, which will focus on regional writing, translation and the indigenous heritage of the 'Queen of the Hills'.

The DLF's year-long outreach programme, 'Chai and Chapter Trails', will start in Dec 2026, which will focus on regional writing, translation and the indigenous heritage of the 'Queen of the Hills'.

The Darjeeling Literature Festival (DLF) will make its debut in November 2027, preceded by a year-long outreach programme designed to bring writers, readers and scholars together across the eastern Himalayas and major Indian cities.

The Darjeeling Literature Festival Society announced the plans at a curtain-raiser at the historic Gymkhana Club on October 11, 2026, where it unveiled the festival’s official logo. The club will be the venue partner for the inaugural edition.

The outreach initiative, 'Chai and Chapter Trails', will begin in December with events in Kurseong, Kalimpong, Siliguri and Gangtok in neighbouring Sikkim, followed by programmes in Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Literary symposiums, panel discussions and reader exchanges will form part of the initiative.

Vaani M. Sharma, president of the Darjeeling Literature Festival Society, said the festival grew out of a shared desire to create a literary platform for diverse voices and bring the region’s cultural conversations to a wider audience.

Differences in intellectual approaches and long-term plans led some members of the original organising group to pursue separate initiatives. Those who continued with DLF came together around a common understanding of the festival’s purpose, Sharma said.

The Society plans to build a programme centred on research, intellectual exchange and regional literature. Its curation will draw on scholars, translators and writers, with an emphasis on perspectives that are often underrepresented in mainstream literary discussions.

Stories from the tea gardens

The lives and histories of Darjeeling’s tea garden communities will be among the festival’s key subjects. The festival will explore the industry’s legacy through perspectives ranging from estate management to the experiences of communities whose livelihoods are rooted in the gardens.

Author Prabha Rai is among the voices identified for this discussion. Rai’s book, The Hills Are Smiling, offers a first-hand account of life within the tea gardens.

The programme will examine the people and social histories behind an industry that has shaped Darjeeling’s economy and communities for generations.

Another planned feature, 'Living Libraries', will focus on preserving oral histories, collective memory and indigenous heritage. It will engage with ethnic communities like the Rai, Limbu and Lepcha, documenting traditions and experiences passed down through generations.

Taking literature beyond the hills

Through 'Chai and Chapter Trails', DLF will create opportunities for writers, academics, readers and cultural practitioners to exchange ideas across regional and metropolitan settings. The programme is intended to connect local literary communities with wider audiences and encourage collaboration across languages and disciplines.

The Society has constituted a curation body of 6-7 members and a seven-member executive committee to guide the festival’s literary programme and organisational work.

The announcement comes close on the heels of the launch of the Darjeeling Arts and Literature Festival, giving the hill town two independent platforms for literary and cultural engagement. DLF will focus on research-led programming, translation, regional writing and the preservation of community histories.

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