Focus on Literature Beyond Commercialisation
Team News Riveting
New Delhi, December 28
The Chhattisgarh government will organise a Sahitya Utsav in Nava Raipur in January 2026. As a prelude to the festival, a literary programme titled “Aadi Se Anant Tak” was organised today at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi.
Two discussion sessions were held during the event—“Sahitya Utsav Mein Kitna Sahitya” (How Much Literature Is There in a Literature Festival) and “Shri Vinod Kumar Shukla Ka Na Hona”, a remembrance and tribute to the noted writer Vinod Kumar Shukla in which eminent authors and poets took part.
Addressing the session on “Sahitya Utsav Mein Kitna Sahitya,” 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.
He praised Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai for recognising and honouring litterateur Vinod Kumar Shukla beyond party ideological differences.
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.
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 “glocal” 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.
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.
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.
Criticising the growing “selfie culture,” 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.
Remembering late Vinod Kumar Shukla, writer Anil Joshi described Shukla’s writing as similar to abstract painting—requiring readers to pause, observe, and feel in order to understand its deeper meaning.
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—qualities that also defined his writing.
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’s significant contribution to children’s literature. Sharma recounted that when he once asked Shukla about his shift from serious writing to children’s literature, Shukla replied that while he had done ample serious writing, he felt a responsibility toward the younger generation and saw children’s literature as a way to do justice to them.
Literary critic and poet Alka Joshi said that Vinod Kumar Shukla’s greatest strength lay in his ability to discover beauty in ordinary, everyday situations.
Referring to “Naukar Ki Kameez” (The Servant’s Shirt), she noted how Shukla expressed resistance to authority with remarkable simplicity and ease. His works, she said, often portrayed the “invisible man”—someone struggling to avoid fading into oblivion.
Alka Joshi added that whether in “Naukar Ki Kameez” or “Ek Deewar Mein Khidki Rehti Hai” (A Window Lives in a Wall), Shukla’s 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.
