New Delhi, December 28<\/p>\n
The Chhattisgarh government will organise a Sahitya Utsav in Nava Raipur in January 2026. As a prelude to the festival, a literary programme titled \u201cAadi Se Anant Tak\u201d was organised today at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi.<\/p>\n
Two discussion sessions were held during the event\u2014\u201cSahitya Utsav Mein Kitna Sahitya\u201d (How Much Literature Is There in a Literature Festival) and \u201cShri Vinod Kumar Shukla Ka Na Hona\u201d, a remembrance and tribute to the noted writer Vinod Kumar Shukla in which eminent authors and poets took part.<\/p>\n
Addressing the session on \u201cSahitya Utsav Mein Kitna Sahitya,\u201d journalist and writer Anant Vijay said that literature festivals could become more meaningful and impactful if they are freed from excessive commercialisation. He observed that many festivals invite celebrities with little or no connection to literature merely to attract crowds and publicity, which dilutes the core purpose of such events.<\/p>\n
He praised Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai for recognising and honouring litterateur Vinod Kumar Shukla beyond party ideological differences.<\/p>\n
Another journalist and writer Pratap Raghuvanshi, while commenting on the latest syle of writing and shift from serous to OTT syle literature, said that still there are authors who are following the conventional style known for its depth and content and are equally getting fan base.<\/p>\n
Writer Anil Joshi suggested that in literature festival local writers should also be given a chance to participate, to which Vijay ji said the upcoming three-day Sahitya Utsav in Raipur would focus on the \u201cglocal\u201d approach, bringing together global writers as well as renowned and emerging authors from Chhattisgarh, with an emphasis on serious literary discussions rather than commercial appeal.<\/p>\n
Speaking on the same topic, Anant Vijay said that while the expression and sensibility of literature change with time, it is necessary that its depth remains constant. He stressed that contemporary literature also carries depth, and the need of the hour is to understand and recognise it. He emphasised that literature festival sessions should be well-structured and content-driven so that readers and listeners can truly connect with them.<\/p>\n
He assured that the Raipur Literature Festival would be completely free from commercial interests and added that if someone from the film industry is invited, a literary figure would also share the stage to ensure that literature remains central to the discussion. <\/p>\n
Criticising the growing \u201cselfie culture,\u201d he said that inviting film personalities merely for crowd attraction undermines the essence of literature. According to him, literature with depth always leaves a lasting impact.<\/p>\n
Remembering late Vinod Kumar Shukla, writer Anil Joshi described Shukla\u2019s writing as similar to abstract painting\u2014requiring readers to pause, observe, and feel in order to understand its deeper meaning.<\/p>\n
Writer and poet Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, recalling his meeting with Shukla, said that despite being such a towering literary figure, he was extremely simple and unassuming. His conversations were marked by warmth, sincerity, and clarity, free from any pretence\u2014qualities that also defined his writing.<\/p>\n
President of Chhattisgarh Sahitya Academy Shashank Sharma shared that young people were deeply drawn to Vinod Kumar Shukla and that his home was always filled with young visitors. He highlighted Shukla\u2019s significant contribution to children\u2019s literature. Sharma recounted that when he once asked Shukla about his shift from serious writing to children\u2019s literature, Shukla replied that while he had done ample serious writing, he felt a responsibility toward the younger generation and saw children\u2019s literature as a way to do justice to them.<\/p>\n
Literary critic and poet Alka Joshi said that Vinod Kumar Shukla\u2019s greatest strength lay in his ability to discover beauty in ordinary, everyday situations.<\/p>\n
Referring to \u201cNaukar Ki Kameez\u201d (The Servant\u2019s Shirt), she noted how Shukla expressed resistance to authority with remarkable simplicity and ease. His works, she said, often portrayed the \u201cinvisible man\u201d\u2014someone struggling to avoid fading into oblivion.<\/p>\n
Alka Joshi added that whether in \u201cNaukar Ki Kameez\u201d or \u201cEk Deewar Mein Khidki Rehti Hai\u201d (A Window Lives in a Wall), Shukla\u2019s characters, despite limited circumstances, dream of extraordinary things. The vividness of his scenes gradually draws readers into the narrative, and this deep engagement with the reader formed the foundation of his creative success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New Delhi, December 28 The Chhattisgarh government will organise a Sahitya Utsav in Nava Raipur…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22898","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cg","category-national"],"yoast_head":"\n