Chandigarh, The 12th edition of the Chandigarh Lit Fest ‘Literati 2024’ concluded on Sunday with a promise to transform the ‘City Beautiful’ into a hub for ‘literary tourism’.
Organized by the Chandigarh Literary Society, the festival, against the serene backdrop of Sukhna Lake, saw the participation of many renowned authors and speakers in 18 diverse literary sessions held over two days.
Thanking the participants, Festival Director and CLS Chairperson Sumita Misra said, “At CLF Literati 2025, we promise to return with an even more vibrant and exciting line-up, ensuring that the 13th edition will be an unforgettable celebration of creativity and intelligence. Together, we will make the Beautiful City a center of literary tourism.”
The final day began with a tribute to poet Surjit Patar in a session titled ‘In Memoriam: Lafzah Di Dargaah’, during which poet Amy Singh and Punjabi writer Jassi Sangha shared how Patar’s simple yet profound poems capture the essence of the human experience.
They also told the case when Patar was at a poetry conference in South Africa. It was feared that no one would come to hear him because of the heavy rain, but a large audience gathered and applauded his poems.
In another session titled History as Narrative: Reviving Lost Chapters, author Ira Muhoti shared her thoughts on her book The Lion and the Lily, which explores the explosive rise of 18th-century Awad, one of the country’s wealthiest regions, which flourished under Saadat. Khan and his successors despite Mughal rule.
Later, senior official and author Vijay Vardhan discussed his book, Kurukshetra: Eternal Sanctity, in which Kurukshetra is seen as a symbol of spirituality and mysticism.
In another session titled ‘Sahitya Samvad: Katha aur Kalpana’, Madhav Koshik, President of the National Sahitya Academy, engaged in a discussion with poet Jitendra Srivastava and moderator Shaida on the interaction between imagination and reality.
The session was followed by book launch of Anirudh Tewari’s Reflections of Ramsevak, Chetna Kira’s Geisha at Gota Pati and Udgaan by Sarika Dupar.
During the session “AI and Creativity: Friend or Foe?” columnist and publisher Afan Yesvi emphasized that artificial intelligence lacks true creativity and emotional intelligence, which requires human struggle and effort.
In a performing arts session titled ‘The Power of Narrative Theater and Beyond’, Padma Shri awardee Neelam Mansingh Chowdhury illustrated the transformative nature of theater and its profound impact on the human spirit.
“Irrespective of that, painting, literature and cinema are art forms capable of raising the human imagination to its zenith. The theater, in particular, stands out for its immediacy and intimacy, drawing the audience into a shared space where stories come to life and resonate in the depths of the soul. on emotional and intellectual levels.”
Theater director, actor and film director M. K. Raina said that theater is a mode of storytelling that connects the individual to the community, offering audiences a space for communication, interaction and reflection, allowing them to interpret and reflect from their own perspective.
India’s rich cultural tapestry was discussed in a session titled ‘Exploring India’s Civilizational Riches: Language, Spirituality and Heritage’ by Sankrant Sanu, Author and Founder-CEO of Garuda Prakashan Publishing, and Anirudh Tewari, Author and Senior IAS Fellow.
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