Social awakening manifests in various forms, and one significant avenue is through literature and intellectual discourse. The Western Ghats Lit Fest 2024 served as such a platform, recently concluding its two-day event (November 19 & 20) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Now in its third edition, the festival offered a vibrant cultural and literary experience for attendees. Throughout the event, 20 interactive sessions, 2 cultural showcases, and 16 book launches unfolded, creating a hectic yet insightful atmosphere, and sparking meaningful dialogue and engagement with Bharatiya thought and narratives.
The festival was organized under the leadership of the esteemed Professor Kanagasabapathi, with renowned author, speaker, and influencer Shefali Vaidya curating the event. Bringing together 26 distinguished writers from across India and the globe, including speakers from Singapore and Malaysia, the festival showcased diverse intellectual voices.
Glimpses of Day 2 of #WesternGhatsLitFest @tuhins @pradip103 @abhijitmajumder @jaggu916 @RatanSharda55 @theverandahclub @GhatsLitFest pic.twitter.com/Zlp77zBd2u
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) October 24, 2024
Following the customary lamp lighting and inaugural address, the festival commenced with a compelling presentation by Advocate Vishnu Jain, who elucidated the Ayodhya case and the recent developments in the Kashi and Gyanvapi cases. This was followed by a keynote address delivered by the eminent author Ashwin Sanghi, who shared valuable insights into his writing process and captivated the audience with fascinating anecdotes from his works on Abrahamic religions and their roots.
A thought-provoking discussion on “Distortion of our Puranas, Itihasas, and History” ensued between Deepak and Arun Krishnan, who explored various forms of historical distortion under the headings of erasure, obfuscation, outright lies, and ignoring. The discussion encompassed a wide range of topics, from the debunking of the Aryan Invasion theory to the misconception of caste discrimination being prevalent during the Puranic period.
A notable highlight of the litfest was the participation of the students from the Anaadi Foundation, who impressed the audience with their chanting, yoga gymnastics, and profound knowledge of Indian epics.
Gymnastics through yoga by children of @anaadifdn #WesternGhatsLitFest @ShefVaidya Ji @GhatsLitFest @theverandahclub
Truly amazing performance! pic.twitter.com/edgfmymU6A— Jagannathan (@jaggu916) October 20, 2024
Matrushree Ananthalakshmi, the founder of the Anaadi Foundation shared her insights and their work with students in inculcating Bharatiya knowledge. To counter historical distortions and the lack of Dharmic value education, she published a well-researched and tailored books that provide Dharmic knowledge to students, along with school textbooks.
While in a conversation with noted author Nilesh Oak, Ananthalakshmi elaborated on her transformative works. She also participated in a session with Sanskrit scholar Dr. Gauri Mahulikar to discuss the case of Sanskrit.
Other significant highlights of the first day included a presentation on Mahabharata mysteries by Nilesh Oak, who presented compelling evidence for the dating of the epic.
A mesmerising dance performance by the disciples of Guru Vidushi Mrudula Rai of Shree Natya Niketan School of Dance, Coimbatore vividly depicted the entire Ramayana narrative in under an hour.
Subsequently, a crucial discussion on the perils of woke culture was moderated by Shefali Vaidya. Author Abhijeet Joag illuminated the destructive nature of woke culture and its inherent dangers while the Educationist Aishwarya Rao provided insights on countering the pervasive influence of woke ideology.
Renowned news anchor Anand Narasimhan delivered a passionate discourse on Indian culture and the nation’s inherent greatness. Wing Commander BS Sudarshan shared his expertise on the history of Hampi.
The second day of the festival commenced with the presence of acclaimed classical singers Ranjani and Gayatri, who graced the occasion with a soul-stirring performance – a surprise at its best. Prayer song was sung by children of Vikasa Tarangini, Coimbatore. A session on debunking historical distortions followed, featuring Capt. Praveen Chaturvedi and Shri Aabhas Maldahiyar.
Lamps lit for the day 2 of #WesternGhatsLitFest by the wonderful @ranjanigayatri. pic.twitter.com/ku60d1lRcC
— Surname's Enough (@odunghat) October 20, 2024
Renowned yoga teacher Shailaja Menon delivered an engaging presentation on Yoga and the profound impact of breathwork.
Rithwik Subramanya of Subbu Books engaged in a conversation with author Senthil Sree Kumar about his latest book on the Sangili Karuppan tradition.
Journalist Shri Abhijit Majumder’s book, “India’s New Right,” was the focus of a session moderated by Shefali Vaidya, which provided insights into how free speech is often suppressed by those claiming to be liberal.
Journalist @abhijitmajumder reveals how news used to be turned around under the @INCIndia rule @ShefVaidya @RatanSharda55 pic.twitter.com/BxIu25fN0E
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) October 20, 2024
Capt. Praveen Chaturvedi engaged in a dialogue on “The Yogi Way” with author Shantanu Gupta, who has authored a book on the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. Capt. Chaturvedi showcased impactful videos created by Prachyam, demonstrating the power of visual media.
The session with Param Vir Chakra awardee, Hon. Capt. Yogendra Singh Yadav, proved to be an emotionally resonant experience for all attendees. In conversation with Shefali Vaidya and author Swapnil Pandey, Capt. Yadav recounted the events of that fateful day when history was made. The session evoked a profound sense of patriotism and brought to light the harsh realities faced by soldiers and their families. The audience responded with a heartfelt standing ovation, moved by Capt. Yadav’s courageous story.
A significant dialogue on Hindutva took place between Prof Kanagasabapathi and renowned writer Ratan Sharda. Various facets of Hindutva were explored, including its economic implications, with a particular focus on Tamil Nadu.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari addressed the critical issue of demography and destiny, presenting compelling statistics that served as both an eye-opener and a call to policy action.
A session on Unsung Warriors of Bharat featured authors Tuhin Sinha and Manosha Sinha followed by a panel discussion on Hinduphobia between Shantanu Gupta, Tuhin Sinha, Ratan Sharda and Abhijit Majumder.
The festival’s key organizers, Shefali Vaidya, chief mentor Sundar Ramachandran, mentor & advisor S Ramachandra Prasad, N Saravanakumar and Vigneshwaran shared their reflections on the event’s success.
With the wonderful volunteers from the YEP program of @ChinmayaMission at the #WesternGhatsLitFest. These are young men and women who have dedicated one year of their life to Sewa. They give me so much hope! @SwMitrananda @jaggu916 @theverandahclub @GhatsLitFest @abhijitmajumder… pic.twitter.com/NYSM4ZjHYl
— Shefali Vaidya. 🇮🇳 (@ShefVaidya) October 20, 2024
Founder of The Verandah Club, Jagannathan, spelt out the previous year’s events and the goals for forthcoming years. So far, they have collectively launched over sixty books and hosted over hundred authors both online and offline over the past 4 years.
Upon the successful completion of the event, Jagannathan spoke with the Organiser, stating, “the world either follows the Western narrative or rebels against it, rarely offering its own perspective—often because those societies have been exterminated or confined to settlements. Bharat, however, stands apart. Over the last millennium, it has faced a tumultuous journey, with challenges at every turn. Yet today, the path ahead is becoming clearer, but equally, challenges are threatening and must be faced and addressed with a lot of resistance to make our way. In this direction, the WesternGhatsLitFest is making an effort to bring the unifying factors and voices on one platform to strengthen our agenda.”
Subbu Books maintained a bustling book stall throughout the event, where readers eagerly purchased books and sought autographs from their favorite authors.
“We are thrilled to announce that this year’s iteration of the Lit Fest was a resounding success, attracting over 1,200 participants who engaged deeply with Bharatiya cultural ethos. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our next edition, scheduled for November 1st and 2nd, 2025,” added Jagannathan.
