The God of Deserted Memories: A Cultural Triumph at Chennai’s Premier Art & Literary Confluence
cognishift.org The God of Deserted Memories: A Cultural Triumph at Chennai’s Premier Art & Literary Confluence
On Mother’s Day weekend 2025, Cognishift.org proudly hosted its flagship festival “The God of Deserted Memories” at Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai—a week-long celebration uniting India, Armenia, and France through canvas and prose. Central to the event was the India launch of Dr Prashant Madanmohan’s (pen-name Dr Leander) magnum opus, The God of Deserted Memories—a 500-page philosophical novel that has already been lauded by critics and dignitaries alike.
A Novel of Memory, Identity & Art
Blending memoir, fiction, and cultural criticism, the book follows Leon Garamond, a surgeon-philosopher on an odyssey across ancient Tamil temples, Armenian monasteries, and Parisian salons. Through dreamlike encounters and poetic interludes, Madanmohan explores how art and literature act as agents of remembrance—resisting erasure and reweaving the tapestry of civilization.
Critical Acclaim from Our Chief Guests
Kalaimamani Trotsky Marudu, Chief Guest and visual-art luminary, remarked:
“This book made me think of yaadhum oore yaavarum kelir—‘the world is one family.’ Its pages brought back memories of every monument I’ve ever seen.”
Dr Ani Yeremyan, Second Secretary, Embassy of Armenia, applauded the novel’s bridging of legacies:
“Madanmohan’s words recall Armenia’s enduring spirit, while Poghosyan’s paintings echo France’s humanism and India’s philosophical depth.”
Christophe Bramoullé, Deputy Consul-General of France, observed:
“A true cultural confluence—this novel reminds us that liberté, égalité, fraternité transcend borders and languages.”
Monalisa d’Amour Awards & Exhibition Highlights
Inaugurating Cognishift.org’s Annual Monalisa d’Amour Awards, cognishift.org Excellence Recognition Awards honoured Tamil poet-writer Manohari Madan for her romantic verses, translated into English, French, and Armenian. Concurrently, Mari Poghosyan unveiled 42 original canvases that visually echo the themes of loss, hope, and cultural resilience.
Read & Remember
Dive into this bestselling Kindle phenomenon—already #2 in Amazon India’s “Literary Criticism” chart—and join the conversation on memory, art, and identity.
👉 Buy The God of Deserted Memories on Kindle
Whether you’re an art aficionado, a philosophy student, or simply a lover of hauntingly beautiful storytelling, this book invites you to reclaim the forgotten, honour the erased, and rediscover the bridges that connect us all.
— Cognishift Insider
