Reclaiming Epics: The Unexpected Youth Surge at Dushyant Sridhar’s Lecture on ‘Secrets in Ramayana’ at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai (June 18–22, 2025)

• Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan

As one entered hall, confident to occupy a vantage seat for the lecture, it was pleasantly surprising to see the hall overflowing and even the aisles were filled with seated asthikas. It was unusual. The question arose whether the eternal topic was the attraction of the speaker. Of it was a combination of both. One is drawing no profound inferences except it was good to see the ‘content’ having welcome traction.  Whichever way, it was a sight for sore eyes and compelled one to pen this piece.

This article challenges the entrenched belief that discourses on Indian epics, particularly those delivered in traditional sabhas, fail to engage younger generations. Drawing from the remarkable turnout—especially of millennials and Gen Z—at Dushyant Sridhar’s lecture series ‘Secrets in Ramayana’ held at Narada Gana Sabha, Mylapore, Chennai between June 18 and 22, 2025, this essay explores the evolving socio-cultural dynamic that is making age-old narratives relevant and accessible to newer audiences. Through empirical observation, cultural analysis, and sociological framing, this article reflects on the resurgence of classical storytelling in modern urban spaces.

In the cultural heartland of Chennai, where Carnatic music and spiritual discourses have long shaped the intellectual and aesthetic life of the city, traditional sabhas are often seen as bastions of the elderly. It is widely assumed that lectures on Hindu epics such as the Ramayana are received with lukewarm interest by today’s digitally driven, globally oriented youth. This stereotype was upended dramatically in June 2025, when eminent scholar and orator Shri Dushyant Sridhar delivered a five-day lecture series titled ‘Secrets in Ramayana’ at Narada Gana Sabha, Mylapore.

What was originally expected to draw a modest crowd of religious seniors turned into a cultural phenomenon, marked by unprecedented attendance of millennials and Gen Z audiences. The lecture series, conducted in the evenings, witnessed packed halls, queues for entry, and even standing-room-only scenarios—an anomaly for spiritual discourses in post-pandemic urban India.

Narada Gana Sabha, an iconic cultural venue in Mylapore,  Chennai, is often associated with December music festivals and conventional discourses. Yet from June 18–22, 2025, it wore an altogether different look: young professionals, students, artists, and tech-savvy urbanites filled its rows, many taking notes on tablets or recording key moments for later reflection. Traditional veshtis and kurtas mingled with jeans and hoodies, symbolizing an intergenerational confluence that few had predicted.

This atmosphere of cultural synthesis signaled a paradigm shift in audience profile, speaking volumes about the evolving attitudes towards spiritual and mythological inquiry among younger Indians.

At the core of this unexpected success lies Dushyant Sridhar’s unique ability to decode classical texts with a modern sensibility. An alumnus of BITS Pilani and a polyglot fluent in Sanskrit, Tamil, and English, Sridhar seamlessly weaves Vedic hermeneutics with contemporary analogies, thus bridging the cognitive chasm between ancient lore and current life.A willing dropout from Tata Consultancy Services, has done well for himself commercially too. There is obvious societal interest as well.

His rendition of Ramayana was neither sermonizing nor didactic. Rather, it was a penetrative inquiry into lesser-known motifs, psychological subtexts, and moral paradoxes, such as: (i) The internal dilemmas of Lakshmana and Bharata
 (ii) The oft-overlooked strength of Mandodari (iii) The epistemological conflict between destiny and free will in Rama’s journey

A superficial analysis suggests several factors for the ‘full to the brim’ turnout, including the youth: 1. Search for Rooted Identity: In a post-globalization era, many millennials and Gen Z individuals are looking beyond consumerism to discover cultural anchors. Ramayana, when offered not as blind faith but as a literary, psychological, and philosophical text, has immense appeal.

2. Instagrammable Wisdom: Short reels and memes drawn from Sridhar’s lectures were widely shared, transforming kathakalakshepam into a viral event. The digital format extended the reach of the Sabha into the smartphones of the next generation.

3. Community and Curiosity: The ambiance offered not just knowledge, but also satsang—a sense of spiritual community and thoughtful conversation. Young Chennaiites, long alienated from religious spaces seen as rigid or irrelevant, found in this lecture series a safe and open space for inquiry.

The event also countered the stereotype that classical Indian knowledge traditions are esoteric, Brahminical, or inaccessible. Sridhar’s inclusive commentary drew from both Valmiki and Kamba Ramayana, integrating folk tales, bhakti narratives, and pan-Indian variants of the epic. The turnout thus indicated a subversive return to tradition, not as dogma but as dynamic dialogue.Notably, the lecture drew equal participation from women and men, proving that the hunger for dharmic literacy cuts across all boundaries.

The remarkable youth presence at this lecture series represents more than an anomaly; it suggests a renaissance of interest in Indian classical thought, when it is presented with intellectual rigor and emotional intelligence.

This moment marks a turning point in public pedagogy—a reassertion of the epic as a source not merely of religious lore but of ethical, psychological, and civilizational wisdom. It also poses a challenge to sabhas and cultural institutions to reimagine their roles—not merely as gatekeepers of heritage but as catalysts for generational dialogue.

In Dushyant Sridhar’s lecture on “Secrets in Ramayana,” the audience did not just listen; unusually they were packed to capacity from earlier than 18.00 hrs till close beyond 20.00 hrs; they awakened. Can we so conclude? And in that awakening lies the silent revolution of India’s youth—a generation seeking moksha with mindfulness and mananam with modernity.

Can we say Sanatana Dharma, particularly in Chennai,  instead of being vanquished is alive and well?

• Narasimhan Vijayaraghavan

The Indian National Congress is claiming that  the phone conversation  alluded to by the Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri between Prime Minister Modi and US President Donald Trump, was a ‘hoax’. And in the face of 11 assertions by Trump that he had brokered a truce between two nuclear armed nations for an ‘immediate ceasefire’, according to INC,  Narender is guilty of ‘surrender’.

It is time  to examine the truth, authenticity and veracity of Trump ‘s ‘hyperbole’.  Donald J. Trump’s return to the White House on January 20, 2025, marked an extraordinary moment in American political history. Having already served one polarizing term (2017–2021), his re-election signaled deep national divides and a transformation of traditional political norms. Far from a return to normalcy, his second presidency has thus far been characterized by chaos — both within the United States and in its global dealings. Trump’s leadership style, policy decisions, and rhetoric have contributed to profound institutional stress, international uncertainty, and domestic polarization.

From the outset, President Trump has treated the federal bureaucracy not as a mechanism of governance but as an adversary to be tamed. His purging of civil servants deemed “disloyal,” controversial use of executive orders, and undermining of traditional checks and balances have triggered intense debates about the health of American democracy. Recurrent confrontations with the judiciary, including aggressive comments about judges who ruled against his executive actions, have further strained institutional relationships.

The Trump administration has doubled down on divisive rhetoric surrounding race, immigration, gender identity, and education. Policies attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in universities and government agencies have deepened cultural divides. His support for hardline policing measures and disdain for protest movements such as Black Lives Matter and climate activists have inflamed tensions across American cities. Red and blue states have begun acting like parallel republics, pursuing divergent visions of rights, freedoms, and governance.

Though Trump campaigned on economic revival, his policy tools have often been short-termist and erratic. A renewed trade war with China, coupled with unpredictable tariffs and an “America First” manufacturing push, has contributed to inflationary pressures and market volatility. Efforts to dismantle regulations in areas such as environmental protection and healthcare have generated both legal uncertainty and public backlash.

Trump’s consistent labeling of the press as “the enemy of the people,” now amplified by a reinvigorated social media strategy, has further undermined trust in traditional institutions. His willingness to dismiss electoral norms — including ongoing insinuations that future elections could be “rigged” — has set a troubling precedent, weakening public confidence in democratic processes.

Trump’s approach to global affairs remains transactional and personalized. Allies have been alienated by erratic diplomacy — abrupt withdrawals from NATO initiatives, hostile tariffs on European goods, and praise for authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Viktor Orbán. Long-standing allies now question the reliability of U.S. commitments, and traditional American leadership on the global stage has eroded.

Under Trump’s second term, U.S.–China relations have plunged further into hostility. While tough rhetoric has pleased domestic constituencies, the lack of coordinated international pressure has emboldened Beijing in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Meanwhile, Trump’s ambiguous posture toward Russia, including a reluctance to criticize its actions in Ukraine, has sown confusion in NATO and among U.S. intelligence services.

Trump’s accelerated support for Israel’s right-wing government, coupled with a haphazard disengagement from multilateral diplomacy in the region, has inflamed tensions. Renewed unrest in Gaza and diplomatic breakdowns with Iran have destabilized what had been tentative peace gains. Simultaneously, his withdrawal of funding from key UN peacekeeping and humanitarian operations has diminished American soft power.

Reversing U.S. commitments under the Paris Agreement once again, Trump has positioned the country as an outlier on climate action. His dismissal of climate science and environmental regulation has provoked criticism not only from environmental groups but also from global allies. Meanwhile, cuts to global health initiatives and pandemic preparedness programs, especially in the aftermath of COVID-19, have left the world less equipped for future crises.

The Trump presidency post-2025 appears to be exacerbating the very fissures it promised to heal. By weaponizing grievance and governance alike, Trump has deepened divisions in American society while diminishing U.S. credibility abroad. Democratic institutions, though still standing, face relentless pressure. The “deep state” narrative, originally a fringe theory, has increasingly shaped federal policymaking and appointments. Trust in science, media, elections, and even the Constitution is being eroded.

Internationally, the perception of American unpredictability has prompted countries to hedge their alliances and invest more heavily in regional blocs that exclude the U.S. As Trump’s nationalist rhetoric collides with global interdependence, the world finds itself navigating a more fragmented and unstable order.

President Trump’s second term has brought to the fore the stark consequences of populist governance in a polarized democracy. Internally, it has shaken the foundations of democratic governance, undermined expertise, and inflamed cultural rifts. Externally, it has produced a dangerous vacuum of leadership, leaving allies uneasy and adversaries emboldened. Whether American institutions can withstand another four years of tumult — and whether global order can survive this phase of American retrenchment — remains a defining question for the coming decade.

History has an uncanny way of appointing leaders who reflect the soul of their times. The return of Donald J. Trump to the presidency in January 2025 has stunned some, outraged others, and yet — for those with a long view of American conduct — it feels like an ironic inevitability. If nations, like individuals, are ultimately judged by the values they truly live by rather than the lofty ideals they proclaim, then Donald Trump is not an aberration but the embodiment of America’s longstanding contradictions. His politics of self-interest, duplicity, exceptionalism, and chaos do not betray American values — they lay them bare. Trump is not the disease; he is the symptom of decades of imperial overreach, institutional dishonesty, and domestic inequality cloaked in the rhetoric of democracy and liberty.

From the Cold War onward, the United States has touted itself as the guardian of global democracy. Yet its actions have repeatedly contradicted this narrative. In Latin America, the U.S. supported coups, dictatorships, and death squads — all in the name of fighting communism. In the Middle East, it has propped up authoritarian regimes, invaded sovereign nations on fabricated premises (Iraq, 2003), and turned a blind eye to human rights abuses when committed by its allies. The 20-year war in Afghanistan and the debacle of the Libyan intervention under the pretense of humanitarianism underscore a pattern: the U.S. wages war for strategic and economic gain while wrapping it in moral language.

Donald Trump, unlike his predecessors, never bothered with the disguise. His foreign policy was openly transactional. He sold arms to the Saudis while dismissing concerns about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He withdrew from multilateral agreements without apology. He did not even pretend to care about democracy when praising autocrats. This was not a break from tradition — it was a refusal to keep up appearances. In this, Trump epitomized American duplicity turned unapologetic.

American leaders have long touted “free market capitalism” as the answer to poverty, the path to freedom, and the model for the world. But the reality at home has often been a two-tiered system: corporate bailouts for Wall Street, austerity and lectures for Main Street. Deregulation, union-busting, and tax breaks for the wealthy have been bipartisan practices. From the 2008 bailout of banks under Obama to the unchecked rise of monopolies under Clinton and Bush, the economic deck has been stacked in favor of the elite — while workers have been left to worship the very system that exploits them.

Trump’s economic nationalism, tax giveaways to billionaires, and disdain for climate policy did not distort the system; they magnified it. His brazen support for oligarchs, use of the presidency for personal gain, and reduction of government to a business cartel laid bare the rot that had long been concealed by technocratic language and bipartisan decorum. He made the elite racket visible — and millions still cheered, because he at least admitted.

America has never fully reckoned with its legacy of racial subjugation. The nation was built on the back of slavery, expanded through genocide, and maintained order through systemic segregation. Even in the post–civil rights era, mass incarceration, police brutality, and structural inequality remain defining features of American life. Yet successive leaders have cloaked these realities in a mythology of progress and moral leadership.

Trump ripped the veil. His crude rhetoric, flirtations with white nationalism, and attacks on racial justice movements did not introduce racism into American politics — they made it explicit. His support base was not merely composed of bigots but of citizens tired of being told that systemic oppression was a thing of the past. He gave voice to grievance, no matter how toxic, and in doing so reminded the nation of the fault lines it had failed to heal.

American exceptionalism is the belief that the United States is uniquely virtuous, destined to lead the world by example. Yet this belief has bred arrogance, not introspection. Gerrymandering, voter suppression, influence of corporate money, and minority rule via the Electoral College have hollowed out American democracy — long before Trump cast doubts on elections.

Trump’s open disdain for norms — his refusal to concede elections, attacks on the judiciary, press, and civil service — has shocked liberals, but it is merely the logical endpoint of decades of democratic erosion. The myth was that “it can’t happen here.” The truth is, it already had. Trump did not break American democracy; he exposed its fragility.

To view Donald Trump as an anomaly is to absolve the American state of its own legacy. He is not a rupture in the story — he is its climax. His rise is the product of decades of lies sold as ideals: freedom masking empire, democracy masking oligarchy, justice masking inequality. In Trump, America faces its mirror: brash, self-interested, performative, and deeply divided.

If American history were a trial, Trump would not be the defendant — he would be Exhibit A. He is what happens when a nation refuses to reckon with itself. In that sense, he is not just the President America has; he is the one it has earned.

Let the republic be judged accordingly.