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.”
Trotsky Marudu:
Art and words have connected the three nations and led to the conclusion yaadhum oore yaavarum kelir. The book made me emotional—the paintings and the words reminded me of the various artists and artworks I have seen in my life. The book also brings out the contributions of Armenians to Chennai.
Indran Rajendran:
It’s a new chapter prompting me to delve into Armenian art history. This event positions Chennai as a centre of world art and literature uniting India, Armenia, France. So many sculptures in Tamil Nadu were crafted by great but overlooked artists; today we bring their names to the forefront. Mari’s paintings recall Claude Monet—her portrait of Raghunath Manet is both lifelike and innovative. This exhibition unites global cultures toward world peace. Mari’s ‘Thiruvalluvar on the Kaveri banks’ is timeless, speaking through silence.
S.K. Dogra:
Had I not known Dr Prashant is an orthopaedician, I’d have thought him a professor of literature or philosophy—he spoke with such depth and mastery. Through his book, he resurrects forgotten memories and reminds us of what we have lost.
Dr C.S. Deva Prasad:
Dr Prashant trained at Madras Medical College—where I studied—and yet stands apart. He’s done something no other doctor has: he celebrates three nations and cultures in one vision.
Dr Prakash M. Swamy:
The book speaks of memory, stirring recollections from my kindergarten days. He reminds us that profession and passion must unite—devote at least four hours a day to one’s calling. He praised Manohari’s poems, noting that being a journalist is easy, but an author is harder. He commended Dr Leander as doctor-surgeon-author who shatters old dogmas, and said the book deserves a Pulitzer: its polished expression, captivating style and expressive flow.
Brindha Sarathy:
Dr Prashant wrote of many inspirational figures—and even of me. I visited the Armenian church because of this exhibition. Mari’s monuments are stunning, especially her depictions of Indian sites. Art has truly united us at The God of Deserted Memories.
Manohari Madan:
The God of Deserted Memories is a metaphor for the silent presence of what we’ve abandoned—people, love, duty. Neglect grows within when we cease caring. Through moving texts and Mari’s paintings, the book reveals that forgetting isn’t just ancient—it happens in our own lives. It compares ruined temples to homes where love once lived. In a noisy world, it urges us to remember our ancestors’ wisdom, neglected art, and the stories of forgotten people—lest we lose not just history but ourselves.
Shruthilaya M.:
Memories here are living forces shaping who we are. The title suggests that forgotten places are sanctuaries where memory endures. Every story has multiple truths, and this book honors them all—exploring fading languages and enduring cultures across continents through art, literature, and music. Dr Leander shares his soul: a surgeon’s life, inspirations, silent battles framed by Sisyphus’s myth. Mari enlivens historical faces, each carrying its own search for meaning. Together, they speak to our deep longing to understand ourselves by reclaiming what we’ve left behind.
Mari Poghosyan:
Art is the only language I trust to tell the truth about memory. Monuments do not belong to one people alone; they are the echoes of a shared humanity. I see myself as a messenger of feeling. If my art makes someone pause, reflect, or feel a connection to something bigger than themselves—be it their ancestry or a truth they’ve forgotten—then I’ve done my part.
Dr Prashant Madanmohan (Dr Leander):
I believe art and literature can unite the world, irrespective of our skin color, languages, borders, or faiths. Yaadhum oore yaavarum kelir—‘the world is one family and everyone my kin’—is what the world needs to hear. We must remember our roots to embrace diversity and evolve together. Memory shapes us; forgetting haunts us.
“What connects a wistful French chanson, the sunlit memories of a Tamil boy, and the timeless art of Armenian monasteries? In The God Deserted Memories by Dr.Prashant Madanmohan fondly known as Dr. Leander this extraordinary puzzle comes to life.”
“Where memory resists and art remembers, a tapestry of ruins, rebellion, and remembrance unfolds. From the sacred stones of Tamil temples to the lost echoes of Armenian sanctuaries and the melancholic soul of Parisian boulevards, three nations unite in one soul—bound by forgotten truths. When art becomes memory—and memory, defiance—one man must journey through silence to song, reclaiming the lost voice of civilization. Because what we forget, we risk losing forever.”
In this visionary blend of memoir, fiction, cultural philosophy, poetry and art history, The God of Deserted Memories takes readers on a haunting, soul-deep journey through the ruins of forgotten civilizations, sacred art, and fractured identities. Told through the parallel narratives of Leon Garamond, a retired surgeon-philosopher, and the author’s own lived reflections, the book traverses the streets of France , Armenia and India—each echoing with stories history tried to silence.
Along the way, Leon encounters artists, revolutionaries, poets, and philosophers—from Balzac , Camus , Charles Aznavour to Lusik Aguletsi and Bharatiyar—each voice resisting cultural erasure through acts of creation and remembrance.
With over 42 original art works by Armenian artist Mari Poghosyan, this book is not just read—it is felt.
Themes explored include:
- The secret shapes of memory and cultural genocide
- Literary and artistic resistance to historical amnesia
- The role of philosophy, literature, and language in shaping identity
- The spiritual resilience of Armenia, the poetic rebellion of Tamil Nadu, and the philosophical fire of France
- The emergence of Fabricism, a new philosophical vision born at the crossroads of civilizations
- How art and literature can bridge cultures and unite the world
In the forgotten corridors of memory stands Leon Garamond—a surgeon turned philosopher, a seeker haunted by questions he can no longer ignore, and a narrator who searches for meaning in forgotten canvases, lost manuscripts, and melodies left unfinished. Their lives are a tapestry of encounters and revelations that bridge cultures separated by distance yet intertwined by their enduring legacies: India, France, and Armenia. As their paths intertwine, so does the fate of stories left untold, cultures erased and memories long forgotten.
– Chevalier Dr Raghunath Manet, French Veena Maestro Virtuoso Dancer
“Guided by literary greats from Dumas and Voltaire to Bharatiyar and Camus, Leon embarks on a deeply personal exploration of art, literature, and the truths concealed beneath historical distortions. Through his eyes, we traverse from the majestic temples of the Cholas in Tamil Nadu to the poignant ruins of Armenian sanctuaries, from the philosophical boulevards of Paris to the quiet rebellion hidden within poetry and paintings.”
– Kalaimamani Dr.Prakash M Swamy, UN Correspondent,Sr International Journalist.
At its heart, this book is a meditation on remembrance as resistance. It asks crucial questions: Can identity survive erasure? Can art defy the ravages of time? And can memory become humanity’s greatest act of defiance against oblivion? – Prof. Dr. Lems Nersisyan
Blending poignant reflections, philosophical insight, poetic interludes and a vibrant dialogue between India, France, and Armenia, the book is more than a journey—it is a call to remember, a plea to reclaim truths buried by power, and an urgent invitation to weave unity from our rich diversity. – Mari Poghosyan, Armenian Artist & Cultural Curator
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
