The Growing Influence of Religious Literature in Contemporary Indian Society

The recent 2024 Delhi Literature Festival exhibited a diverse array of titles, from Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness to Rashmi Samant’s Ram Janmabhoomi: The Inspiration for Hindu Resurgence and Anand Ranganathan’s Hindus in Hindu Rashtra. Founder of the festival, Ajay Sharma, emphasized the significance of sharing alternative perspectives with readers, particularly focusing on narratives that have been historically marginalized. He highlighted the dominance of leftist ideology in the literary world in the past, but noted the emergence of new books offering alternative viewpoints. For instance, Ranganathan’s book has garnered significant acceptance among audiences and is one of the top sellers on Amazon.

Sharma also noted the merging of faith, history, and politics, indicating the changing narrative and intersectionality across various literary arenas and festivals. This intersectionality was exemplified by the violent attack on Salman Rushdie at the 2022 World Book Fair and the intense discussions on religious topics at the Jaipur Literature Festival, demonstrating the pervasive influence of religion within literary circles.

According to Sanjoy K Roy, managing director of Teamwork Arts, the producer of the Jaipur Literature Festival, the exploration of religion in literature aims to focus on spirituality and philosophy rather than the contentious aspects of faith. Additionally, major publishing houses have witnessed an increase in books on Hindu philosophy, particularly within the realms of spiritual self-help and commentaries on Vedic scriptures, reflecting the current literary landscape.

While there is a growing interest in books that illuminate different or unexplored content from scriptures and epics, a notable religious publishing house, Gita Press, has remained relatively obscure despite being India’s largest publisher by volume. Established in 1921, the press has primarily focused on disseminating Hindu religious texts in Hindi, promoting the principles of Sanatana Dharma. However, it has faced criticism for promoting conservative and patriarchal views and taking political stances against progressive social reforms.

In addition to religious texts, fictional interpretations that retell epics and myths from the perspectives of female protagonists have also gained significant popularity. Authors such as Amish, Devdutt Pattanaik, and Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni have contributed to this genre, emphasizing the importance of highlighting complex and human characters in literature, rather than using mythological figures for propaganda.

Divakaruni cautioned against the misuse of literature for propaganda and stressed the responsibility of both writers and readers in using words to examine societal issues and uphold common humanity. With readers having the power to influence the literary landscape through their choices, the role of literature in shaping societal narratives remains a critical aspect of contemporary discourse.