Coimbatore, in the land of Kongu Nadu, is also known as Kovai or Covai to the locals, and to the ones who love this nestled-at-the-foothills of Western Ghats town. Home to the ancient Marudumalai, Perur, and Patteeshwarar temples. Home to the famous Gass Forest Museum and the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History. Home also to a rich tradition of textile mills like Lakhsmi Mills and sought after educational institutions such as PSG Tech. Home to philanthropists G. Kuppuswamy Naidu and international level race car drivers such as Karivardhan. Home to sages like Swami Dayananda Saraswati ji, and āśramas such as Arsha Vidya Gurukulam (AVG), Coimbatore is a big city now with small town feels. A small town once, it has always carried itself with a big city cosmopolitanism. It could be because this region was located along the Rajakesari Peruvazhi, an ancient Roman trade route that extended from Muziris to Arikamedu. It could also be because it was ruled by the Cheras, Cholas, the Vijayanagara Empire, the Kingdom of Mysuru and finally the Madras Presidency. Its influences are many and varied, and its acceptance of diversity, high.

Every region, especially in Bhārata, emanates its unique charm and culture to the outsider’s eye. Kovai exudes warmth, affection, and transparency. It is not yet hardened by city slickness, nor is it cocooned in naivete. The home grown entrepreneurial spirit, the old world money acquired through sheer grit and innovation, the sincere devotion towards the divine, coupled with bounteous flora fauna and seamless connectivity to every major city and hill station in the vicinity, all this and more has made Coimbatore a city that cannot be ignored. One would be hard pressed to find such an industrious and industrial metropolis in today’s India with its distinctive blend of tradition and modernity.

The Ramar Kovil is at the end of the street. I am housed at Subhashree Hall with its commodious rooms and helpful staff. As I walk back from the temple onto the street in the early morning hours, the kolam is freshly made and incense sticks lit, the sacred flame before Muruga is burning bright ready for the day’s commerce, two brass bowls with vibhuti and kumkumam welcome all those who enter Friends Cafe. Started by the famous Friendly Catering this is a bustling joint at 6.30am. Next to me an elderly maama in naamam and a white dhoti is gently cooling his hot coffee while answering someone on the phone in clipped English, “…yes yes..…Antarctica…she has gone with our son on a cruise…”. Must be his wife, I think to myself. I steal a glance and he flashes a ‘soukyamaa’ toothless smile. I nod back acknowledging his happy presence.

Food is one of Coimbatore’s many enthusiastic offerings, be it Krishna Sweets’ Mysurpa, or the J&M Bakery’s Japanese Cake, be it the MLA Dosa and the exquisite Sambhar at Annapoorna Gowrishankar, be it Shree Anandhaas Elaneer Halwa or the home made Melting Moments chocolate, the palate here is robust having whetted its appetite on the sweet-sour street snack of childhood: ilanthavadai. Kovaikarars take their food as seriously as they take their GI tagged Wet Grinders and Kovai Kora Saris!

Having had a sumptuous breakfast, with a satiated heart I headed towards Codissia to now have a fill of my head. The program looks exquisite, a well curated speaker line up. It would help to reach the venue before the traffic congestion on Avinashi Peelamedu road builds up. An idling auto guy demands Rs 600 which does not seem much as compared to fares in Hyderabad and I was almost close to closing the deal when Murugan anna from Subhashree Hall calls, ‘amma, vandi vanthachi’. I am offered a ride to the venue by an unknown benefactor along with two others from the Bengaluru Samvad Team.

I am here to attend the A3 Conclave - Awake, Arise, Assert by VOC for two days; 30th November and 1st December 2024, from 9.00 am to 8.00 pm at the Hall E Codissia, Avinashi Road, Coimbatore. During an exchange online with the founder, Sudarshan ji tells me that VOC has been established: To nurture a generation grounded in the rich heritage and civilizational ethos of Bharat, to be the voice of public developmental activities for the people of Covai, to play a pivotal role in spreading happiness among Covai Makkal, and to create a space for dialogue, engagement, and action.

Śrī Sudarshan Seshadri is the founder-convenor of Voice of Covai, a philanthropist and an entrepreneur, a businessman, religio-political analyst and a leader of people. After an MBA, Sudarshanji went on to get his honorary doctorate in event management. With 12 years of corporate life and 17 years of being a businessman, Sudarshanji during the heat of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections came up with the PFA - Public for Annamalai - and became the founder and convener of a voluntary organisation from the Coimbatore constituency, where 20,000+ volunteers joined hands to campaign for Śrī Annamalai Kuppuswamy. A great cultural enthusiast, Śrī Sudarshanji also organizes the Covaiyil Thiruvaiyaru every December, which is a grand cultural festival that showcases the rich intangible heritage of Bharat during the auspicious month of Margazhi, where 600+ artists perform in over 35 events.

Voice of Covai (VOC) has evolved from a focused campaign organization into a vibrant and powerful platform for dharmika social renaissance. Their journey began with a movement of over 20,000+ passionate volunteers during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, working without any political party affiliation, driven solely by the vision of national service and community well-being. Today, VOC is a dynamic community that empowers the youth to embrace and advocate for Bhāratīya values and India-centric ideas. VOC is a registered charitable trust which is all poised to raise the voice on behalf of commoners to draw the attention of central and state governments on an unbiased non-political basis.

VOC’s A3 Conclave: Awake, Arise, Assert, promises to be a transformative gathering dedicated to exploring the profound influence of Bharatiya culture in defining India’s true nature and identity. It will delve into a range of critical topics designed to challenge mainstream narratives, uncover historical truths, and empower a new generation of Indians. The focus is on crafting a way forward that upholds the integrity and unity of India.

Chief Guest for Day 1 was to be Dr. L. Murugan, Union Minister of State for Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Government of India. A visionary leader and advocate for social inclusion, Dr. Murugan has consistently championed the causes of cultural preservation, rural development, and equitable growth.

Chief Guest, Day 2 was to be Śrī Annamalai Kuppusamy, President of the Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A distinguished Indian politician, former IPS officer, prominent educator, social activist, and community leader, Mr. Kuppusamy has dedicated his life to fostering dialogue and engagement across diverse communities.

I arrive at the venue and am already impressed with the large banners, beautiful decor, the commodious stage, the well ventilated hall, systematic seating arrangements, the diversity of stalls, the indigenous food and snacks area, the easily accessible restroom and drinking water facilities, the ample parking spaces and above all the giant hoardings and the mūrti of Śrī Rāma gracing the entrance, blessing us all as we walk in.

Despite meticulous planning and behind the scenes hard work, the Cyclone Fengal in Chennai played havoc with the travel plans of some attendees. Smt. Ankita Dutta, a scholar on North East affairs for example, could not make it in person as her flight from Chennai to Coimbatore was cancelled. Śrī Vishnu Jain ji whose presence would have made the two day event much more scintillating than it already was, unfortunately got held up in Sambhal and was unable to attend either.

Even Śrī Annamalai ji’s coming was doubtful, and until he showed up the 2000+ eager crowd in the audience was not sure if they would get to see or hear him. But he flew out the same day from London to Dubai to Chennai to Coimbatore, and straight to the venue of the A3 Conclave in Codissia! We were told that his team had booked three different tickets in three different airlines to make sure he attended this event to honour the word of his supporters. Indeed a wonderful moment to see him in flesh and blood, true to the energy he exudes from across the TV screens, his unwavering commitment and love for the people was evident in real life too.

Despite such last minute hurdles and setbacks, the whole event was seamless, larger than life, and well organized. From the sumptuous meals sponsored by a generous patron each morning, noon, and night, to the stalls which sold local wares, to the public itself which came in thousands to catch a glimpse of their favourite speakers and listen to them; the weekend went by dwelling on intellectual and patriotic matters, matters of national and personal importance.

Exploring the Role of Bhāratīya Culture in Shaping India’s Identity and Future

VOC Day 1

The recordings of Day 1 may be accessed here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

With the auspicious anugraha bhāṣaṇam by His Holiness Jagadguru Śrī Shankaracharya Swamigal of Kanchi, who blessed this conclave with success, and wished for more people to be involved in seva and bhakti related activities, the A3 Conclave took off on a holy and spiritual note. Svāminī Sadvidyananda ji (Arsha Tirtha, AVG), the first speaker on the dias, continued in this vein. She spoke of how our schools teach us everything which is not our way or view of life; from Twinkle Twinkle to Humpty Dumpty, especially in the first six years of one’s life when we form our future personalities. To prevent this from ruining further generations, she exhorted the audience to not only Arise, Awake, Assert but also Act. Action in the right direction is the need of the hour, Svāminī ji reiterated. This set the tone of the whole gathering, with each and every speaker pouring out their hearts with courage and conviction. Svāmi Anukoolananda ji from the Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth too articulated that any transformation of a child is possible only via sādhanā, and this sādhanā can happen only in-house or in schools. Unfortunately neither are equipped to handle this responsibility currently, he rued.

Smt. Jayashree Saranathan spoke of ‘Aryan’ as not being a race but a guna, that the word describes the trait of people who are cultured and civilized, and were addressed thus; Ārya. She had the audience laughing out loud at her remark: No one called Ravana, Arya! Dr. Alexander Jacob also stated passionately on how we need to learn the real history of our nation. Voice of Covai must become Voice of India he emphasised to a thunderous applause from the people gathered to listen to him.

Aarsha Vidya Samajam (AVS) lead by Ācārya K.R. Manoj ji, is doing yeoman’s service at the grassroots in Kerala, teaching sanātana dharma, and preventing coercive conversions. In many cases bringing back individuals who have fallen prey to such deceptive practices. Shruti, Vishali, Anagha, three courageous ladies who were victims themselves but have managed to return to the Hindu fold thanks to the efforts of AVS, had everyone teary eyed with their honest sharing of their life’s journeys.

Śrī H. Raja commented on the sorry state of Hindu temples under HR&CE, how despite India being free, our temples are not. He also enlightened the audience present with many examples of temples where the arcakas are non-brahmin, to drive home the point that this demand to free temples is not from or for one community alone. Prof. Raama Sreenivasan started by praising the polite and respectful language of the people of Covai and then went on to speak of dharma as the core of our culture and our lifestyle which unites us across regions in our land.

Dr. U.Ve. Venkatesh mesmerized everyone present when he recited the 64 kalas in one breathless go! He critiqued our way of addressing one another in families and in friends circles, saying all we are left with is ‘Aunty, Uncle, Madam and Sir’. This reductionism is detrimental to our expansive family structure and intricate web of relationships, he added.

Despite the long day, most attendees spent nearly 12 hours at the venue, the arrangement of free meals to all, the ample washroom facilities and the sheer power of the A3 panel discussions and content kept the audience entertained and riveted in their seats. It was a wonderful mix of English and Tamizh speakers, the Bharatanāṭyam performance of Rāmāyaṇa by the Shree Natya Niketan ensemble under the tutelage of Smt. Mrudula Rai was breathtaking in precision and execution, the presentation of short films and awards to the up and coming Social Media Influencers in Tamil Nadu, along with the grand finale of awarding the Lifetime Achievement Award to Śrī V. M. Rajagopalan ji, a veteran journalist at 104 years, who walked ramrod straight onto the stage to a standing ovation, was a fitting finale to the first day.

VOC Day 2

The recordings of Day 2 may be accessed here:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Despite a gruelling first day, the success of the same energized both the volunteers and the attendees to make a beeline for Codissia one again. Being a Sunday, more people showed up on the second day and stayed the whole day, also to catch a glimpse of their favourite leader Śrī Annamalai.

Śrī Jerome Anto ji spoke eloquently of the clear and present danger which is religious conversion, as it brings with it erosion of beliefs and values indigenous to Bharat. With 55 Islamic nations, 25 Christian nations, 7 Buddhist, and 1 Jewish nation, it is only Hindus who have no nation to call their own, he emphasized. Bringing in the analogy of 100 sheep and 1 tiger in their midst, he demonstrated the inequality of this co-existence, which would lead to the death of the sheep eventually. He quoted Matthew 10:34-36: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s foes will be those of his own household”, to showcase how Conversion is Violence (Svāmi Dayananda Saraswatiji) and causes great harm. If sanātanīs are safe then Christians are also safe, he added. Hence safeguarding the dhārmikas and dharma is essential.

Since Smt. Ankita Dutta was unable to fly to Coimbatore, she gave her presentation virtually. She vocalized on the Hindu genocide in the North East of India, and the rampant demographic change brought about by illegal immigrants and missionaries. A region which has seen constant interference by the West, leading to many insurgencies, and oppression of the vanavāsis there.

Ācārya K. R. Manoj ji of AVS, quoted the Art of War, and goaded the audience to study one’s enemies and their strengths if we are to win the battle. A comprehensive action plan which includes practicing karma yoga is the need of the hour he advised. Having convinced many victims of conversion to return to sanātana dharma by the power of mutual discussion or samvaada, he is revered by many as a modern day intellectual kṣatrīya (Śrī Rajiv Malhotra). Smt. Sahana Singh ji, who has written and spoken extensively on the Education System of Ancient India reminded us that we do not need external models of sustainability, what we need to do is to simply follow our elders and traditional customs, which are slowly being usurped by the West. She gave the example of ‘non-sleep deep rest’ which in fact is nothing but ‘yoga nidra’! Meanwhile ex. Christian Smt. Kamakshi (Esther) Dhanraj garu enunciated nine internal threats faced by Hindus internally. She spoke of how Hindu families are caught up with careers but must pledge money for social and community causes to face the conversion threat head-on. She even tested the same on the surprised audience by asking for pledges then and there!

Śrī Anand Ranganathan ji’s brilliance was in full force while we were waiting for Śrī Annamalai to arrive. Without any notes he spouted numbers, facts, data, statistics, to reveal how far we have come in the past decade in terms of growth and development. His main thrust was that Welfareism is not possible without capitalism, but that it is different from Freebeeism practiced by some politicians. He spoke of the unfortunate repealing of the Farm Laws in 2021 which was detrimental to the farmers themselves. He spoke of stubble burning in Punjab and the pollution it causes in Delhi, he spoke of the lack of recreational facilities in Tier Two cities, and then he spoke of the sad reality of Tamil Nadu losing manufacturing projects to other states, wherein the iconic Wet Grinder an indigenous product GI tagged for Coimbatore, is now being manufactured in Gujarat.

By the time of his closing comments, Śrī Annamalai walked in with his entourage, and the crowd went berserk with excitement, as did I! It is not everyday that one gets to meet and greet an honest politician with such farsightedness. He gave a rousing speech in Tamizh which may be accessed here: Annamalai | Voice of Covai | A3 Conclave. That a lot of speakers were local and spoke in chaste Tamizh on local issues made this conclave all the more relevant.

There is an art to attending these events. Once the schedule is out, I usually mark the speakers that I want to listen to, and make extensive notes. After listening to a few, I go about the stalls picking out whatever I want to sample, or the books that I want to buy. This I do during the tea break or after a quick lunch, so as to not miss out on the wares on offer. Among the stalls was danseuse Smt. Pavithra Srinivasan, presenting Gita Natyam, which brings the two pillars of Bhāratīya civilization together; of Bharatanāṭyam and Bhagavad Gītā, and the essence of each chapter of the Gītā is captured via dance. There was also Sonal Shah of Melting Moments with her homemade chocolate, along with other stalls selling Handlooms and Handicrafts.

Striking up a conversation at lunch time in the long lunch line one never knows who one might be standing next to! Having a chai or coffee, ordering hot snacks and mingling with other attendees seated next to me or at the stalls is another way of interacting and learning. In fact I found Anand Ranganathan ji, wanting to stretch his legs, next to me at the chai counter on the second day, and we struck up a casual conversation and exchanged some banter which was very refreshing.

On the second day too there was a vibrant Bharatanāṭyam performance, as well as a panel discussion conducted ably by Smt. Sai Smrithi ji wherein she spoke with founder Sudarshan ji about the idea and the motivation behind A3 Conclave. On the first day too she had moderated a very emotional panel with the three ladies from AVS.

Ultimately, it is not about who spoke and for how long and what, it is about what we hear and what we learn from the discourses presented. What is it that we take away, and how we transform our own life and others’ too, from what we partake of. I was not only grateful for the fabulous programme that was put together for all of us by the tireless endeavours of the volunteers (Geeta Sudarshan, Vidya Surendran, Srinivas ji, Manjula maami, Damodaran maama, and many more) but also humbled by their relentless hard work throughout the two days.

Coimbatore is the gateway to Conoor, Ooty, Yercaud, Valparai, Kodaikanal, Pollachi, Palani, Tiruppur, and Avinashi. Its proximity to Mysuru, Bengaluru, BR Hills cannot be discounted either. Although close to Palghat geographically, and with many a Malayalee in town, Koyanputturu, in fact has the heart of a Telugu more so than Hyderabad does! Maybe that is what pulls me towards it time and again. From G. Kuppuswamy Naidu, he of the Lakshmi Mills fame, to Sundaram Karivardhan his grandson and Formula racing driver, from K.P. Ramaswamy of the KPR Mills fame to Narain Karthikeyan, another Formula racing driver, all claim Telugu ancestry. Telugu communities have made it their home for many generations now. Add to this mix, Marwaris, Jains, Sikhs, Anglo-Indians, and two Indian Air Force bases (Coimbatore and Sulur), you have a very eclectic crowd.

There is something about this land and water that attracts so many gurukulams and ashrams; from Chinmaya International, to Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, to Integral Yoga, to Isha Yoga Centre, to Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, to Purna Vidya, and numerous more. It is also a city blessed with various Ayurveda Clinics and Training Centres; from Arya Vaidya Pharmacy, to Vaidyagrama, to Sri Dayananda Jayavarthanavelu Ayurvedalaya, to the Kottakal Arya Vaidya Sala and countless others.

Gita Chaitanya ji who runs Arsha Vidyalaya, and trains youngsters in Bharatiya Samskriti was also among those in the audience for VOC, she insisted that I stay with her in her beautiful home before leaving for Bhagyanagara, which I accepted wholeheartedly. Her abode graced by an ornate Dakshinamurthy is a haven of peace and tranquility reverberating with vaidika mantras and exuding jnaanam from the upanishads. Children and teenagers recite shlokas and stotras and celebrate various festivals under her able guidance. In fact a few of them, now adults, were chanting and present in the audience, when Śrī Annamalai made his entry and was gifted a resplendent Sengol by a donor, accompanied by vaidika mantras by panditas.

A most fortunate event occurred while I was attending the VOC, I had mentioned to Damodaran maama, one of the volunteers who had arranged for my stay at Subhashree Hall, that my father was looking for an old friend of his from Coimbatore (from his Indian Air Force/ IAF days). They were the only two boys selected in 1962 to join IAF in the Technical stream in a batch of 100 or so applicants. But my father’s friend after a month of training left this life of defence forces and opted for a life of doing business near his hometown of Palghat, in Coimbatore. When my father was posted in Coimbatore and then at Sulur, they renewed contact and for 5 years from 1982-87, our families were close friends visiting one another almost every other Sunday.

All that my father remembers is his name is Palghat Narayan Gopal and that he was a Rotarian, I told maama. Within minutes he put me in touch with Smt. Radha Ilango maami who is a Rotarian herself, and she in turn left no stone unturned until she found out everything about Śrī P.N.Gopal’s family. He, alas, had left his body in 2010, but was a well known personality in Covai. His son’s phone number was soon acquired and by lunchtime I was talking to him! Kumar remembers my father vividly, especially adventures in the cockpit and on the tarmac, watching fighter planes land and take off with your dad, in the 80s at 5 BRD Sulur. Our families are now back in touch thanks to VOC and my father, a war veteran now 80 years old, is ecstatic to have renewed this 60 year old connection, and is planning to make a visit soon.

Such a warm and loving city which helps people-to-people connect in a familial manner deserves the VOC, and more of it. Here is wishing it the very best in making this an annual event.