Mandi to mark 500 yrs with launch of Chhoti Kashi Sahitya Utsav today
The historic town of Mandi will add a new cultural dimension to the renowned International Shivratri festival this year with the organisation of its first-ever literature festival on February 14. The event, titled Chhoti Kashi Sahitya Utsav (Little Kashi Literature Festival), will be held at Sankan Garden. The announcement was made during a press conference held late last evening by Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan, who also unveiled the official logo of the festival.
The DC stated that Mandi was entering the 500th year of its establishment, and the literature festival was being organised to celebrate and honour the town’s rich cultural and literary heritage. Over the years, Mandi has been associated with several eminent writers and has maintained a vibrant literary tradition. While literary festivals have been regularly organised in Dharamsala, Kasauli and Shimla, the absence of such an event in Mandi had long been felt. With this initiative, the district administration aims to establish a permanent literary platform in the town. The inaugural edition of the festival will be formally opened by noted author Raaja Bhasin, and efforts will be made to expand its scope in the coming years.
The one-day festival will feature five sessions, covering diverse themes. The first session will focus on Mandyali folk literature and contemporary writing. The second session will explore Mandi’s artistic expression through camera, pen and stage, highlighting the town’s presence in cinema, literature and theatre. The third session will deliberate on the legacy of storytelling, from folk tales to children’s literature. The fourt session will address youth writing and mental health, linking creative expression with emotional well-being. The fifth and final session will examine the evolution of ancient and traditional literary forms. A literary quiz competition will also be organised to encourage wider participation, while a ghazal sandhya in the evening is expected to be a major attraction.
In addition to the literature festival, the district administration will organise the second Beas Aarti on February 15. For this spiritual ceremony, five learned scholars from Varanasi have been invited to conduct the rituals. The DC also briefed the media on preparations and arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival and related events. With the introduction of the Chhoti Kashi Sahitya Utsav, this year’s International Shivratri celebrations in Mandi are set to blend spirituality, culture, and literature, marking a significant new chapter in the town’s 500-year-old legacy.
