<p data-start="88" data-end="450"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Doon Valley is gearing up for the 9th edition of the Valley of Words (VoW) Art and Literature Festival, to be held on October 25-26, 2025, at Hotel Madhuban. Uttarakhand Governor Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh (Retd) will inaugurate the event, which will bring together writers, thinkers, artists, and readers from across India.</span></p>
<h3 data-start="452" data-end="502"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Highlights of Day 1 &ndash; Saturday, October 25</span></h3>
<p data-start="503" data-end="1103"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Day 1 opens with a tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur and a workshop on Indian Sign Language, followed by book sessions including Swallowing the Sun by Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri and Bidaai De Ma! by Sudhir Vidyarthi.</span><br data-start="723" data-end="726"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cultural performances by Kathak exponent Dhanashree Joglekar and Bharatanatyam artist Lakshman Vinayak will add classical flavour. Poetry and youth sessions like Kaho Kavita, Poetry Caf&eacute;, and Yuva Vaani: Visions of Uttarakhand @2047 promise lively interaction. The day concludes with Evening Ragas and reflections on climate, food, and military history.</span></p>
<h3 data-start="1105" data-end="1153"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Highlights of Day 2 &ndash; Sunday, October 26</span></h3>
<p data-start="1154" data-end="1642"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The final day begins with Morning Ragas and a keynote by Shekhar Pathak on &ldquo;Uttarakhand @ 25.&rdquo; Sessions include Cactus Wants a Hug by Neil Flory, Suno Kabir by Soni Pandey, and Ananda: An Exploration of Cannabis in India by Karan Madhok.</span><br data-start="1405" data-end="1408"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Other topics cover Garhwali cinema, women building the nation, biodiversity, Mahabharat in Devbhoomi, and Uttarakhand&rsquo;s Rajyabhasha - Sanskrit. The festival closes with The Last Beggar and Why Stories Matter.</span></p>
<h3 data-start="1644" data-end="1676"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A Celebration Beyond Words</span></h3>
<p data-start="1677" data-end="2018"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">VoW 2025 will also feature art exhibitions, local crafts, workshops, and the prestigious VoW Book Awards, honouring excellence in English, Hindi, translation, and children&rsquo;s literature. With its focus on sustainability, youth, and inclusivity, the festival reflects Uttarakhand&rsquo;s harmony between nature, art, and intellect.</span></p>

Writers, artists and thinkers unite for a two-day celebration of art, books and culture

Dehradun set for Valley of Words 2025

Writers, artists and thinkers unite for a two-day celebration of art, books and culture

October 24, 2025 | 15:16 IST