Gateway LitFest 2024: Celebrating Marathi Literature's Best

Join us at Gateway LitFest as we celebrate the golden jubilee of Jnanpith Award-winning 'Yayati' by VS Khandekar. Explore the timeless masterpiece and its literary impact on Marathi literature.

on Feb 29, 2024

Gateway LitFest 2024: Celebrating Marathi Literature's Best

Mumbai's prestigious Gateway LitFest will honour the golden jubilee of the inaugural Jnanpith Award in Marathi, which was given to Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar's novel 'Yayati' in 1974. The festival, which will be held on March 1-2 at the Convocation Hall, Mumbai University Fort Campus, will include a special session on the second day titled 'Impressions on Yayati' conducted by Damodar Mauzo, the 2022 Jnanpith Award winner, and famous writer and translator Prof Sachin C Ketkar. 'Yayati' is a Marathi-language mythological fiction that tells the story of the mythical Hindu monarch Yayati from the Hindu epic, the Mahabharata.

It is regarded as Khandekar's masterpiece and one of the best works in Marathi literature, having garnered various awards such as the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Jnanpith Award, and the Maharashtra State Government Award. The novel has been translated into a number of languages, including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Bengali, and Gujarati, demonstrating its international popularity and literary relevance.

Damodar Mauzo, speaking about the event, said, "I am really delighted that Gateway LitFest is organising such an event to mark the golden jubilee of VS Khandekar's Jnanpith Award in 1974. An interesting part of this prize is that the Jnanpith Committee initially awarded him for his work 'Yayati' before expanding the award to include all of his literary contributions. In this way, the writer and his entire work were honoured."

Vishnu Sakharam Khandekar (1898-1976) is regarded as one of the best writers in Marathi literature, having made substantial contributions during his nearly half-century career. He authored 11 novels, 31 short story collections, six allegorical story collections, and 15 volumes of critical essays, establishing a rich legacy that continues to inspire future generations of readers and writers.

The Gateway LitFest (GLF) is returning to Mumbai after a three-year absence owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and its seventh edition promises to spark literary fervour. Recognised as the largest forum for Indian language writers, the event will feature outstanding writers from several regional languages, including Jnanpith laureates and Akademi awards, displaying the rich diversity and skill of India's literary scene.

As literary aficionados eagerly await the festival's start, the commemoration of 'Yayati' and its creator, VS Khandekar, serves as a poignant reminder of literature's persistent ability to transcend time and touch the hearts and minds of readers across generations.