Udaipur, January 14, 2025 - On World Hindi Day, the third edition of Mewar Talk Fest, a two-day celebration of book discussions and competitions, concluded in Rajsamand. The event featured an exhibition on the 75th anniversary of the Constitution’s implementation, alongside a drama commemorating Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, offering a glimpse of Indianness in the fest. On December 18, the poster for MTF 3.0 was unveiled in four major cities of Mewar—Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara, and Rajsamand. 

The first day of the festival started with a panel discussion on “Critical Thinking in the Digital Age”, where social media expert Yogesh highlighted the profound influence of social media on society’s thought processes, understanding, and behaviour. He pointed out that social media is contributing to a growing digital divide in the society, with the deep state playing a key role in this trend. The session, moderated by Ms. Sheetal, included panellists such as social worker Mamraj, social media expert Yogesh, influencer Paridhi, and scholar Praveen. The discussion covered issues like fake narratives, the digital ecosystem, and how to identify reliable content. Mamraj emphasized that, when used responsibly, social media could effectively promote positive societal change and harmony.

The morning session featured the screening of the short film Veerbala, dedicated to the immortal martyr Kalibai Bhil. Director Shubham, child artist Bhumika Bhatt, and actress Paridhi Bhatnagar shared their insights with the youth. The director spoke about the 13-year-old girl who sacrificed her life to keep the flame of education alive and resisting British colonialism. Paridhi emphasized that social media content should be created with the goal of "building a better society."

Creative Workshops

During the workshops in the parallel sessions, Prof. Sangeeta Pranavendra from IIMC conducted a workshop on “Creative Writing”, encouraging participants to explore writing about everyday events. She stressed the importance of expanding one’s vocabulary by engaging with various sources such as books, poems, stories, movies, articles, and magazines. In the second workshop, “Art of Reading”, Ruchi Shrimali addressed key questions such as how to read effectively, how to maintain focus while reading, and how to choose books. The session also taught the youth how to develop and maintain a connection with books.

The second panel discussion, “Shakti ki Abhivyakti”, focused on empowering women in society. The discussion covered issues like women’s rights, safety, and responsibilities, emphasizing the complementary roles of men and women. Sociologist Ritu Saraswat highlighted that, in Indian philosophy, women have historically been revered as the most significant figures. She pointed out that the notion of exploitation and oppression of women emerged due to foreign invasions. The session, moderated by Ruchi, was joined by Shivani Swarnkar and legal expert Lalit. 

In a motivational session, JNU Professor Rajesh Jangid offered guidance to students on pursuing academic and administrative services. In the closing session, “Message: India on the Globe”, Kamlesh Sharma coordinated a discussion with defence expert Abhinav.

The Raj Pustak Mandap was a key highlight of the fest, featuring over 3,000 books across 700 different titles. In addition to books from National Book Trust, works from various other publishers were also available, attracting many readers who purchased books of their interest.

Swami Vivekananda Comes Alive in the Play

On the eve of Swami Vivekananda Jayanti, an impactful play brought Swami Vivekananda’s legacy to life. The play not only enacted his famous speech at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago but also showcased major milestones of his life.

Book Releases: Four books were unveiled at MTF

“Vartaman Mein Hanuman” by Chandresh Taylor; “Sugandha” by Murari Gupta; “Main Vivekananda Hoon” by Umesh Kumar Chaurasia; and “Letters to Editor” by Indu Mani, were released in the festival.

Session: Lekhak Ki Baat 

During the “Lekhak Ki Baat” session at Vivekanand Muktaakash Ground, authors Yajvendra Yadav and Amit Verma shared insights about their respective books and engaged in discussions with the audience. Attendees had the opportunity to get their newly purchased books signed by the authors.

Exhibition on the Constitution

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Constitution’s adoption, an exhibition was organized featuring 22 images depicting scenes related to the Constitution. SDM Brijesh Gupta attended the exhibition and emphasized the importance of every citizen understanding the significance of these images. Many young visitors expressed that it was their first time learning about these images.

Special Attractions

A highlight of the fest was the chhavi of Lord Shri Dwarkadhish, which deeply resonated with visitors. Participants also had the chance to get hands on experience and create their own art by watching live demonstrations of Molela art. Various stalls were set up, including ones featuring Thakur Ji’s makeup items, Molela artifacts, tribal women’s products, tea alternatives, cow-based products, and a food court.

Music Stage

The Raghavam Group from the town performed Rajasthani songs, while the Moksh band of Manish and Varun, performed Bollywood hits. The youth enthusiastically shared their experiences on social media, posting selfies and reels. The poetry evening saw local poets reciting heartfelt poems in praise of Mother India.

Winners Awarded 

In the closing session, winners of the storytelling and drawing competitions were recognized. Swara Rathore, Ashwini, Yuvraj, and Madhavi were awarded in storytelling; in drawing competition, in the ‘primary’ category, Nirav; in “senior” category Gargi, Sunita, and Khushi Bano; and in the ‘college’ category, winners included Charul, Govind, Ajay, Harsha, Prachi, and Khushi. Volunteers were also appreciated with books, certificates, and souvenirs.

Registration

A total of 806 online registrations were recorded on the Mewar Talk Fest website, with 388 on-site registrations. The event attracted 743 visitors over the two days.

First Day Highlights

The third edition of Mewar Talk Fest was inaugurated on Saturday at Bhikshu Nilayam in Rajsamand City with the lamp lighting in front of Lord Shrinathji, marking the beginning of the fest with the theme “Bharat Ke Swa Ki Kahani."

The inaugural session featured a Mandir Haveli music performance by Manasvi Vyas in honor of Thakurji, and Anjali Juyal recited Ramdhari Singh Dinkar’s ‘Rashmirathi.’ Surendra Singh Rao ‘Mrityunjay’ delivered the keynote address on “Bharat Ke Swa Ki Kahani”, emphasizing the importance of youth recognizing their own identity. He noted that while there have been historical efforts to erase India’s identity, literature, music, and education have always played crucial roles in preserving it. Rao urged everyone to decolonize minds and reconnect with their roots to elevate humanity.

The second session featured a panel discussion on “Cinema and Society”, moderated by Professor Amitabh, with filmmaker Vivek Sharma, writer Murari Gupta, and music composer Ekarth. The discussion addressed questions from the youth, and the book Krishnanshi was introduced. In a parallel session, a 4-minute storytelling competition and a drawing contest on ‘Scenes of Historical/Religious Places of Mewar’ were held. In “Lekhak ki Baat”, authors Amit Verma and Yajvendra Yadav presented their books: “Deendayal Upadhyaya” and “Tushtikaran Ki Yatra 1921 Se 2021 Tak” respectively. J. Nandkumar’s book Rashtriya Swatva Ke Liye Sangharsh was also introduced.

In the afternoon, the session “Swa Ke Udgoshak: Swami Vivekananda” was held, where Professor Kunjan Acharya engaged with authors Umesh Chaurasia, Dr. Swatantra Kumar, and Bhupendra Joshi.

Previous Editions

Mewar Talk Fest I was held on January 23, 2023, in Udaipur, celebrating Subhash Chandra Bose Jayanti with the theme “Mighty India” at Maharana Pratap Agricultural University. Mewar Talk Fest II took place on March 30-31, 2024, at Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, with the theme “Rising India”. The discussions focused on India’s cultural identity on the global stage and the concept of Indianness in the Constitution.