Dehradun, Nov. 11 -- Individuals have a lifespan of a few decades, but when they can come together to ideate and create institutions with purposes larger than each of their own selves, they create a VoW moment - for themselves, and for the larger ecosystem around them. Thus it was ten summers ago, when some of us met in the lawns of Madhuban on the 12th day of March in 2017, to plan the first-ever literature and arts festival of Dehradun. Spring was in the air. We all felt that given the surfeit of established authors from the valley in all genres and all languages - Hindi and English, Urdu, Punjabi, Garhwali, Kumaoni and Jaunsari - why not invite them to these lawns and curate sessions around their works?

However, after the first round ...