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 ‘The Unbecoming’ in Dehradun

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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Unveiling 'The Unbecoming'

Dateline Dehradun: Conversations on identity, purpose, the stories we tell ourselves about success, and authentic living took centre stage in Dehradun as a like-minded group of readers, writers, and members of the town’s literary community gathered for the book reading session of The Unbecoming: Let Life Reveal Its Purpose by Kartikeya Vajpai.

Pic Courtesy: Shailendra Kant
Author Vajpai and Discussant Dr Chopra

Held in collaboration with the Valley of Words (VoW) International Literature & Arts Festival the event featured an engaging conversation between the author and Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, Festival Director of Valley of Words.

Speaking at the event, author, lawyer and former state-level cricketer Kartikeya Vajpai  felt honoured to be in Dehradun and thanked all those who had made the event possible. Speaking about the book, the author stated, “ the book does not seek to provide definitive answers, but it encourages readers to embrace uncertainty. The unbecoming is a philosophy, you are born complete but you suffer from the fear of being incomplete.” He further added, “Fear and Greed are complimentary, which are the true weapons of Maya.”

The Unbecoming

Featuring forewords by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Swami Sarvapriyananda, The Unbecoming is a fiction book that explores the emotional and philosophical dimensions of modern life through the story of Siddharth, a celebrated cricketer, and Ajay, his mentor. Speaking at the event, the author expressed how when it came to give messages to the masses, every religion took to story-telling. He called the book his guru as it took him through different dimensions and concepts while writing The Unbecoming.

The hour-long interactive discussion examined how the universal themes of identity, fear, ambition, and the burden of expectations resonate in contemporary life. Dr. Sanjeev Chopra expressed his happiness at the author for choosing Dehradun, a city known for its tradition of  knowledge for a discussion around his maiden debut. He asked all those present to delve deeper into the book to take away life lessons, irrespective of their age.

The event concluded with an audience interaction, book-signing session, along with a short melodious rendition by singer Bobby Cash and a presentation of the 30th Edition of Garhwal Post by Actor-Editor Satish Sharma to the author and discussant.

Blooming Mussoorie this Harela

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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The wild padam in bloom in Mussoorie

Dateline Mussoorie: Mussoorie is set to celebrate Harela this year with a unique environmental initiative aimed at transforming the hill station into a vibrant landscape of flowering and ornamental trees. The annual festival, which marks the arrival of the Great Monsoon is traditionally celebrated by planting saplings, and this year around the hill station will witness the launch of the Mussoorie Bloom Initiative, a collaborative effort involving the local administration, educational institutions, government agencies, and hospitality stakeholders.

The brainchild of Mussoorie born and raised Sandeep Sahni elaborated on the pilot prohect stating, “The initiative draws inspiration from the celebrated flowering landscapes of Japan and the hill states of Northeast India, with the vision of introducing seasonal bursts of colour to Mussoorie’s predominantly evergreen forests of oak and deodar.”

Courtesy: Nilanjana Singh Roy

As part of the preparations, ten schools in Mussoorie dug more than 3,000 planting pits across the town’s hillsides on World Environment Day. Plantation activities will begin on Harela. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) have also joined hands. Beyond planting, participating institutions have committed to nurture and conserve the saplings over the coming years to ensure their healthy growth.

The Forest Department actively supported the project by recommending tree species best suited to Mussoorie’s altitude and climatic conditions. Proposed species include Kachnaar, Tejpaat, Wild Padam, Jacaranda, Gulmohar, Bheemal, Tecoma, Amaltas, and Bottle Brush.

A series of meetings were held since third week of April under the local administration chaired by SDM Mussoorie Rahul Anand who stated, “The Mussoorie Bloom Initiative seeks not only to enhance the town’s natural beauty but also to promote long-term ecological stewardship through community participation, making Harela a celebration of both tradition and sustainable environmental conservation.”

As President of the Hotelier Association Uttarakhand Sandeep Sahni further added, “The idea is to ensure that this pilot project is eventually replicated across the hill state so that our hills of green-gold come alive with splashes of colour come spring or autumn.”

Citizens Demand Scrapping of Rishikesh-Bhaniawala Four-Lane Through Elephant Corridor

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newspost
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Citizens Demand Scrapping of Rishikesh-Bhaniawala Four-Laning Through Elephant Corridor; Raise Ecological, Legal and Public Safety Concerns

Dateline Dehradun: Concerned citizens addressed a press conference urging the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Government of Uttarakhand to reconsider and scrap the proposed four-laning of the Rishikesh-Bhaniawala road passing through an ecologically sensitive elephant corridor.

Opening the discussion, Ira Chauhan said that the proposed widening of the highway must be viewed not merely as a road project but as a decision with far-reaching environmental consequences for one of Uttarakhand’s most important wildlife corridors. She said the elephant corridor plays a critical role in maintaining habitat connectivity and that any large-scale fragmentation of forests could increase human-wildlife conflict while threatening the movement of elephants and other wildlife.

Speaking on the legal aspects of the project, Himanshu Arora highlighted the legal concerns surrounding the project, stating that the recent tree felling appears to have proceeded despite the matter remaining under judicial consideration. He explained that while the Uttarakhand High Court had disposed of the Public Interest Litigation earlier this year, it had done so after observing that issues relating to the elephant corridor and tree felling were already pending before the Supreme Court. Arora questioned whether the ongoing tree felling was consistent with these judicial directions and stated that legal remedies, including appropriate proceedings before the courts, were being actively explored.

Dinesh Semwal,  a long time resident, stressed that he had never encountered any traffic jams on the road and questioned the very need of the four laning. He further added that local communities have always coexisted with wildlife and expressed concern that increasing fragmentation of forests could result in more frequent encounters between humans and elephants, thereby placing both at greater risk.

Concluding the press conference, Anoop Nautiyal questioned why the National Highways Authority of India had commenced large-scale tree felling during the monsoon season, describing it as a first-of-its-kind instance in Uttarakhand. He said the monsoon is traditionally regarded as the season for plantation and ecological regeneration, making the timing of tree cutting deeply concerning from both environmental and public policy perspectives.

He questioned whether the State Government’s model of balancing economic development with ecological conservation was achieving its stated objectives, particularly in light of the growing pressures on forests, biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The speakers collectively appealed to the Government of Uttarakhand and the National Highways Authority of India to re-examine the project through the lens of long-term ecological sustainability, wildlife conservation and climate resilience.

The citizens’ group also announced the next phase of its campaign. Peaceful protests will be organised outside the NHAI office on July 8 while this year’s Harela festival will be observed as a “Black Harela” to symbolically highlight the large-scale loss of trees and forests in Uttarakhand.

Sanjeev Chopra discusses development policy with CM Pema Khandu

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Dr. Sanjeev Chopra called on the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Sh. Pema Khandu

Tawang: Dr. Sanjeev Chopra, Senior Fellow of the Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) and ex-Director ofLal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, called on the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Pema Khandu and briefed him about his research on the life and times of Padma Shri Major Bob Khathing. Chopra presented him his book ‘We The People of the States of Bharat:The Making and Remaking of India’s Internal Boundaries’. The two held wide ranging discussions on administrative reforms and governance, with special focus on the integrated and sustainable development policy for the mountain states.

It bears recall that when Chopra was the Director of the LBSNAA, he had proposed the training of civil servants from Arunachal Pradesh at the Indira Bhawan campus of the Academy under the auspices of the National Centre for Good Governance. Mr. Pema Khandu expressed his keen interest in reviving the partnership between the Arunachal government and the NCGG.

Mr. Khandu was appreciative of Chopra’s efforts in writing the detailed biography of Major Bob Khathing who was instrumental in getting Tawang and forward areas like Bun La as per the McMahon Line, signed in 1914 between India and Tibet back within the territorial framework of India. Mr. Khandu has played a salient role in the development of the Major Bob Khathing Museum at Tawang. Mr. Khandu also asked Chopra to conceptualise and plan an academic/literary and cultural programme at Tawang on the themes of Himalayan ecology and environment. Chopra complimented the CM for organizing the Deputy Commissioners’ conference, where officers were encouraged to share their views on development in a frank and forthright manner.

Chopra was accompanied by the DC of Twang Ms. Angmo Namgyal mentored by him as the Director of LBS National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie. Ms. Namgyal apprised him about the various development initiatives in Tawang, including universal access to health, education and financial inclusion. The government was very keen to encourage eco– friendly ‘home stays’ to ensure that Tawang emerged as a major destination for both domestic and foreign tourists.

Wink It, Mussoorie’s Own Quick Delivery Service

By
Dr. Tania Saili Bakshi
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Dateline Mussoorie: For many residents who have started dreading a walk into town to pick up household essentials or other knick-knacks, Wink It Mussoorie may be the answer to their prayers.

Launched in early February this year by 25-year-old entrepreneur Ankur Chauhan, Wink It is a one-stop online platform catering to everyday needs. A former student of the Central School for Tibetans, Mussoorie, Ankur later completed his B.Com from MPG College, Mussoorie, while nurturing a passion for website design and development.

The youngest of two siblings, this enterprising local has given the concept of reverse migration a fresh perspective. “The youth of our town often leave for work in the plains, leaving behind elderly parents. Wink It was designed for the people of Mussoorie who want their parents to have access to quick-commerce services,” says Ankur, reflecting a thoughtful vision well beyond his years.

Speaking to Newspost, he adds, “Mussoorie has been our home for over 60 years. We are third-generation Mussooriewalas.” This deep-rooted connection explains his intimate knowledge of the town’s geography and community.

Familiar with every corner of Mussoorie—from the Library end to Picture Palace and Landour—and beyond, Ankur has built a service that prioritizes convenience. Customers can place orders through the website, request pickup of prepaid purchases from their favourite stores, or even have Wink It make the payment on their behalf and settle the amount upon delivery.

Positive customer reviews from across the town highlight the growing popularity of the service. Wink It has become a valuable resource not only for local residents seeking urgent supplies but also for hotel guests looking for late-night snacks and essentials at short notice, all for a nominal delivery fee.

Currently, Wink It Mussoorie operates with one delivery executive and five partner stores, providing access to daily essentials from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., seven days a week.

For residents and visitors alike, Wink It Mussoorie is certainly worth a try.

For readers who want more information, they can visit Winkit Mussoorie or call 7983427187.

Meera Saklani @ Mussooorie Samvaad

By
Dr Tania Saili Bakshi
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Members of Mussoorie Press Club with Meera Saklani during Mussoorie Samvaad

Dateline Mussoorie: Meera Saklani, Mussoorie’s first woman Chairperson was the special invitee at the maiden edition of Mussoorie Samvaad, organized by the Mussoorie Press Club today.

Addressing a packed gathering, Saklani — the BJP candidate who secured victory by more than six thousand votes to win the coveted Chairperson seat last year  — took centre stage to discuss the challenges and responsibilities of leading the Queen of Hills.

As the first citizen of the town, the Chairperson shoulders the added responsibility of representing and hosting the many dignitaries who visit Mussoorie’s premier institutions like the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, the Institute of Technology Management, and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Academy, its schools which date back to the 1850s — and ensure a steady flow of VIPs and VVIPs to the hill station throughout the year.

Chairperson Mussoorie Meera Saklani at Mussoorie Samvaad

The hill station’s close proximity to the plains, along with excellent connectivity by road, rail, and air, makes it a preferred destination for domestic and international tourists alike, giving Mussoorie an edge over other popular hill stations such as Shimla and Nainital, but an issue that  also adds to it woes.

Speaking candidly during the hour long interaction, Saklani acknowledged the challenges, “bringing about a change in the working ethos of the municipality has been an on-going challenge. I have been working relentlessly in this area and though strict actions has led to many unhappy faces, yet this is one area of improvement that I will not comprise upon,” she said.

Responding to questions from media personnel with conviction and honesty, the Chairperson highlighted several pressing civic issues concerning Mussoorie and its citizens. Questions ranged from cleanliness to traffic congestion, lack of health facilities, demarcation of municipal property, vendor free zone, dilapidated link roads and others. Saklani further stated that that the municipal board required the support and commitment of the town’s residents, noting that most routine issues could be resolved if locals stood by them.

Mussoorie Samvaad, an initiative by the Mussoorie Press Club, is conceived as a monthly interactive forum bringing together distinguished personalities from Mussoorie for engaging hour-long conversations with the local media. Through these sessions, the platform seeks to promote meaningful dialogue and provide insights into the work ethics, challenges, work ethic, and contribution towards Mussoorie’s development.

REC-VoW Books Awards Longlist

By
Dr Tania Saili Bakshi
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VBa longlist

Dateline Dehradun: Over the course of a decade, Valley of Words continues to celebrate the brilliance of authors across genres through the REC-Valley of Words Book Awards (VBA) across a comprehensive range of categories, including Hindi and English Translations, English Fiction and Non-Fiction, Hindi Fiction and Non-Fiction, Writing for Young Adults and Children’s Literature (bilingual). The eight VBA Winners are brought together with artists, craftspeople, readers, critics, thespians and listeners in VoW’s annual Signature Event in Dehradun scheduled for 28th-29th November, 2026.

Over 600 book nominations from across India put to rest the apprehension in some quarters that the era of reading and writing is over. Each year VoW finds itself going through a unique experience with the range and diversity of themes, writing styles, cover pages and illustrations (for children’s books) which makes the longlist selection process extremely demanding.

The REC-VBA commitment to diversity is reflected in the ten longlisted works under eight categories that offer a tangible connection to India’s diverse and rich heritage. The previous year’s REC-VBA Winners bring in their expertise of refining the shortlist of 5 from a pool of exceptional entries.  The consistently high calibre of submissions poses a considerable challenge for the jury each year, as Festival Director Sanjeev Chopra puts it, “As in previous years, the 2026 list is truly eclectic and representative of the country’s contemporary writing scene. We received over 600 nominations from 70 publishers, as well as several individual entries.  The longlist of 80 authors includes equal number of men and women, featuring translations from Assamese, Hindi, Konkani, Marathi, Malayalam, Prakrit, Punjabi, Tamizh, and Urdu. For the second consecutive year, we have also received entries in both Hindi and English for the two bilingual categories: Writings for Children and Young Adults. We are now eagerly awaiting the jury members’ responses to these wonderful offerings.”

The National Reading Month (from 19th June to 18th July) serves as a benchmark for the VoW Secretariat to unveil its Shortlist in the honour of P.N. Panicker, the “Father of the Library Movement” which began in Kerala. Panicker strongly believed that education and literacy were the keys to social progress and founded the Kerala Grandhasala Sangham (Library Association) in 1945, which played a pivotal role in setting up thousands of libraries across the state and inspired generations to embrace the transformative power of books. The books nominated for VoW will also remain available to readers in Dehradun through the VoW Café and Library in Sahastradhara.

Keeping its date with tradition, the Valley of Words announces its comprehensive Longlist for the REC-VoW Book Awards 2026 under all 8 categories over a period of three weeks: English Non-fiction; English Fiction, English Translation, Hindi Translation,  Hindi Fiction, Hindi Non-fiction,  Young Adult Literature, and Children’s Literature (Bilingual) which can be found on their website www.valleyofwords.org

Book Review: Morning Twilight

By
Dr Sanjeev Chopra
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Morning Twilight: Poems

By: Jayshree Misra Tripathi

(With a Foreword by Radha Chakravarty, Introduction by K. Jaykumar; Prelude by the poet; sectional reflections by Paulami Sengupta, Rachna Joshi, A. J. Thomas, Mandira Ghosh, Satya Mohanty; Epilogue “In the End” by Gopal Lahiri)

“Twilight Poems”, as the name suggests, is a threshold between the private and the public, the moments between daylight and dark, speech and silence, memory and discovery. Jayshree Misra Tripathi’s language is spare and exact, her images are domestic yet capacious, her voice asks us to slow down and notice. In these pages the soft  light is turned inward as ordinary objects are transformed into metaphors of meaning through the quiet courage of attention.

Let me  begin with an excerpt from my  favourite  poem in this collection: “The Centre and Me” (needless to say, this is about the India International Centre)

“This is a safe haven for the likes of me,/ with silver-grey hair/ that dances in the gentle breeze.

There is always a kindred soul to greet,/ Programmes to see –  dance, music,/

discussions, book launches, art on display – /

the hours pass easily./

Here I am not Invisible./ And my Voice still counts.”

The first point to note is that in these lines, the  first  alphabets  in  Invisible and Voice are capitalized. Secondly, ‘not Invisible’ is different from ‘Visible’. Visibility is a metaphor for competition. It is true that ‘not Invisible’ may be the thesaurus equivalent of Visible, but the connotation and context are so different. To me, Visible is morning and Not Invisible is twilight. Similarly, Voice with a capital V is an indicator of presence. And the IIC itself is a platform for meaningful exchanges, an open and safe space for ideas to grow in healthy discourse. Jayshree’s poem reminds us how a space can  be both witness and participant — a keeper of small rituals, of meetings and departures, of the hushed work of listening that makes public life possible —  like being a Drishta (viewer) as well as a Karta (doer). ‘Invisible’ and ‘Voice’ are a leitmotif in this collection of poems, for in another titled “A Prayer from a Mother”, she writes: “My  voice still counts. I am not invisible./ YET.”

Before I delve into the book, let me say that its dedication to the author’s women ancestors – the child brides, the child widows, the grandmothers, her mother and mother-in-law – was very touching and took me back to the loving embrace of my own grandmother and her sister, as well as my mother and her sisters who showered much affection on their ‘first-born son’. Would things have been different  if I had a   sister – I don’t know, for I am a single child. In this context, the poem “Woman of India” becomes representative of  how time has transitioned from our grandmothers’ generation to the contemporary moment:

“Why does this  Woman of India/ Love, without condition?/

Why does this Woman of India/ Forgive, without condition?/

How does she grieve?/ Why does she sob behind closed doors?/

When does she soothe her bruises?/ What is she made of? Where can she go?

A few lines later, Jayshree gives us an answer:

Listen to silver–grey words/ from another Woman of India./

In the era of empowerment,/ fight for your rights – /

snap bonds that harm./

Face each onslaught with courage./ Reach out for a helping hand – talk to another, in a safer place./

One Life and you must, and you will, smile again.”

Let us now get to the offerings of “Morning Twilight” in a  chronological order, and I will share one or two lines from the poems in each of the book’s seven sections.  In the Prologue, we have a poem called “The Composer of Verse”: “And now, it is MY time to seek/ words in concise measures/ to bait my eccentric fancies,/ perhaps nudge my Muse/ from her stubborn stupor.”  A faint  tinge of regret at having had to sacrifice her academic career to the career ambitions of her diplomat husband comes out as a lament: “Once feted scholar  turned housewife/ by circumstances, not choice -/ the decades have swept by,/ yoked to others’ needs, complaints.”

In the section “Angst”, the poem “From a Ladies Coupé” is about “the utter stillness of fear on a train journey” through the Chambal valley, which is later contrasted with “sad-fishing” as the new social media malaise “that mocked genuine vulnerability/ for sharing emotions online”.  There is also a reflective poem ‘Why Teach at All?’ which  draws from  Alan Sillitoe’s classic The Loneliness of a Long-distance Runner.

The next section “Life” has the wonderful poem “He Said, She Said”: “It was dawn/that caused the first rift. I saw darkness,/ he saw the light./ Yet we smiled in unison,/ hiding the pain of incompatibility.”

And there is the sensuous touch in “Mid-life Blues”: “Will you think of me/ when I am gone?/ The grey in my hair,/ spread of my hips;/ the warmth of my glance,/ and crooked smile,/ with its hint of scorn?”

The fourth section is called “Bioscope”. The most poignant lines  are a tribute to the love of her life. As immortalized in the poem “She Wore White: In Memory of Sibabrata 1955-2017”:

“I clenched both palms,/ holding our son’s intangible hand,/ he, on his way from a distant continent./ I held her palm in mine. No. Untrue./ I stood alone, hands ajar, propped/ by the Circle of Friends and  Family,/ some that loved us, some who did not,/ some Invisible. How will you know?/ And there we stood, she and I,/ Trespassers in the Fold of Tradition./ I do believe you would have smiled/ at  our stance! Farewell, Farewell./ The End.”

There is a powerful prose poem in the fifth section “Karmic Lacerations”; in “Capital D”, Jayshree writes: “I no longer fear Death with a capital D, for I have weathered a hundred-odd Deaths at three score eight. Yet here I am. Vulnerable. Alone.”

The penultimate section is called “Windmills”. Here we have a poem called “Solitude” which Tripathi ends with these three lines: “My choices were not for myself./ I crave for the joy of solitude/… to set me free.”

The last section, appropriately called “In the End”, has  a poem  titled “In Linear Sequence”.

“At birth/ the mind innocent, the heart pure,/ knows no insecurity.

At school,/ the mind playful, the heart curious,/ knows not jeopardy.

An adolescent, the mind insecure,/ questions fickle amor/ seeks the veracity of promises.

As a young lover, the mind/ yearns for permanence,/endures vulnerability.

An adult, the mind matures,/ in matrimony, parenthood,/ learns accountability.

The mind now bolder/ yet fraught with fear, the empty nest,/ now seeks serenity.

The mind even older, aware/ of latent sorrow, the loss of a loved one,/ seeks tranquility.

The mind hardened with known pain,/ Life in all its glory, welcomes harmony./ We are now Complete.”

This is a book to be cherished, to be read at leisure, and to connect with our own individual memories – for at the end of the day, it is this connect to universal experience which makes us truly human. Let us therefore read the book, cover to cover, share it with friends and reflect on the offerings , especially in the twilight hours. It is 4.28 am in Dehradun where I write this, and the twitter of the morning birds is entering my window this morning!

Step into history through art and exploration of the Schlagintweit Drawings

By
Dr Tania Saili Bakshi
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Pic Courtesy: Devansh
Inauguration of the the Schlagintweit Drawings Pic Courtesy: Devansh

Dateline Dehradun: VoW collaborated with eminent Himalayan historian Shekhar Pathak, Founder and Managing Trustee of the PAHAR foundation, for a week-long exhibition of The Schlagintweit Drawings in India at the Doon Library & Research Centre. This fascinating exhibition revisits early Himalayan encounters and hidden perspectives from over 170 years ago. It will be on display until Friday, the 8th of May.

The inauguration of this exhibition at DLRC on 1st May 2026 was anchored by Lokesh Ohri and featured an insightful lecture by Prof. Hermann Kreutzmann, who presented the context of German scholars’ contribution to empirical research about India starting from the early 19th century work of Carl Ritter (who coined the word ‘Silk Road’) and Alexander von Humboldt (who co-founded the Berlin School of Geography); they were responsible for ensuring the visit of the three Schlagintweit brothers to the Himalayas: “Uttarakhand was the beginning of the whole expedition… it began in Nainital. That was their testing ground.”

Prof. Shekhar Pathak’s lecture elaborated on this history whilst also touching upon the 10-year journey of finally bringing this exhibition of Himalaya paintings, made 170 years ago, to Dehradun. In his trademark style of bringing together history, geography, and storytelling in a truly enriching speech, Dr Pathak paid tribute to the many lives that were lost in the early efforts to study the topography of the Himalayas. He also noted that, “It was the Schlagintweit brothers who highlighted that the Himalayas were in the heartland in the middle of two cultures, identities and states.”

The Guest of Honour for the event was Shri Sandeep Shrivastav, Additional Surveyor General of India. Dr BK Joshi, Founder and Chairman of the DLRC, was also present at the event as the Chair. Attended by Dehradun’s gentry, the inaugural saw a stunning outpour of guests across age groups. Dr Sanjeev Chopra said, “VoW is delighted to extend its support to such a unique exhibition — the Schlagintweit Drawings are now on display at the DLRC Dehradun after a very successful run at the IIC, New Delhi. The interplay of history, geography, exploration, imperial assertion and indigenous knowledge systems comes out very clearly, as also the collaboration of scholars from across the continents in this knowledge production. Our volunteers Prateek, Anushka, Devansh helped with the logistics and visitor support for the exhibition.”

The exhibition also has a Dehradun connect. The Schlagintweit brothers were assisted by nephew-uncle pair Pundit Nain Singh Rawat and Main Singh, who later joined the Survey of India; the former was the first Survey employee to visit and survey Tibet, albeit disguised as a monk!

One World Many Words: From the Valley of Words to Words on Waves!

By
Dr Sanjeev Chopra
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The Max City VoW Litfest

(In lieu of the weekly book review, I am sharing with my readers, the key points of  my Keynote address at the  Max City VoW Litfest at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai last Saturday, the 29th of March)

At this MaxCity -VoW Litfest, let me dwell on the theme ‘One World, Many Words’, and on MaxCity and VoW!  The key word of course is the ‘word’ – for nothing can exist without it. And then we shall try to understand its relation to the world, the host city and VoW – the organization which has extended its curatorial support to this festival. So, from the Valley of Words, it is now Words on Waves, for the maritime History society of India is a partner in this endeavor.

Dr Sanjeev Chopra at the event

As this is the Easter Week, let me take a moment to recall the Gospel (King James version): In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Thus, it was the word which created the world. In the Vedantic tradition, the relationship between the word and the world is more nuanced.  The eighth chapter of the Bhagwad Geeta is the Akshar Brahma Yoga.  The ‘word’ is called Akshar – the imperishable and the eternal, as against ‘Kshar’ – the  temporal which constitutes  the world. The Lord Almighty identifies himself with Akshar. In the Sikh scriptural tradition, the word of the Guru (Gurbani) has been elevated to the divine status – the living Guru.The Muslims believe   the Holy Quran   to be the literal, uncreated word of God (Allah) revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad. For the Jews the Torah is the word of God.

Thus, in   both Judaic and Brahmanical traditions, the word is Supreme.  For it is this word which helps us define our world.  As civilizations evolve, we need more words in the lexicon to explain the many different nuances. For that matter, the foundational architecture of all of AI – Grok, Chat GPT, Gemini and Deep Seek – is   the large language model – based on the algorithm of the most probable sequence of words.

 The World We Inhabit 

What is the nature of the world we inhabit? Well, at one level it is just one world – even though every single individual would have her own way of describing it. But we have to remember that even though there is one world:  there are an infinite number of world views – and infinite ways to describe them.  Words are evolving all the time to get to the most proximate understanding of the world.   However, even when the world has transitioned from that particular reality, the words used to describe an extant circumstance continue to live long thereafter.  It is true that words can change their meaning over time, the frequency of their use may come down- but the word can never really become a vestigial organ.  It is though words that memory is preserved, and   memory is the seed from which great literature is created. Not every seed germinates, but even those that do not, become part of the value chain and find a manifestation. Nothing is ever lost!

As this Litfest is being held in the Maximum city, let me also talk about Suketu Mehta, the author of the eponymous book on this metropolis, for it also lends its name to the festival.  This descriptor has stuck to the city, not because it was notified in the sarkari gazette, or the manifesto of a political party, or a resolution of the legislative Assembly.  It is Max City Litfest, for   this   resonates well with the city: its joys, its frustrations, its ambitions, its glamour as well as its grime. It encapsulates the agony and the ecstasy of its teeming millions, as well as the elite layers    because everything this city does is ‘maximum’, which the Gen Zee now call Max!

This is the year when the Census of India is being held after a hiatus of fifteen years, as against the normal frequency of ten.  This will bring, in its wake, an empirical verification of two interlinked anecdotal truths: that India is urbanizing and India is now home to large swathes of interstate migration – thereby bringing some   dissonance between the state and the society. This is so aptly captured in Mehta’s recent book This Land is our Land: An Immigrant’s Manifesto in which he shows how metros and cultural spaces are created by the intermingling of peoples who speak multiple tongues, wear multiple identities on their sleeve,  bring different skill sets to the table and create a new world – which then looks for words to describe it – thereby creating a virtuous cycle of words and the world !

Let me also share my favourite example about the evolution of words in the English language, and how it has come to dominate the word of    governance, banking, commerce, culture, science, technology, peace and war. When Shakespeare wrote his Macbeth and his Tempest, his Hamlet and his merchant of Venice (illustrative examples) in the sixteenth century, he used just about over 30, 000 to describe the entire range of human emotion. When Samuel Johnson published his dictionary of the English language in 1775, he listed more than   40,000 words.  But hold on, the Oxford English dictionary of 2026 has over 520,000 entries with 880,000 meanings and the usage examples run into millions.

Let me end by quoting my favorite lines from an exiled poet of this city Salman Rushdie.  the closing lines of his Victory City, reads as follows:

I have lived to see an empire rise and fall

How are they remembered now

These kings .. those queens

They exist now only n words

While they lived, they were victors or vanquished, or both

Now they are neither

 Words are the only victors

What they did or thought or felt

 no longer exists

all that remains is the city of words.

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