Preamble:
To promote Marathi language, literature, and reading culture, MKCL - Knowledge Foundation has launched the 'Marathi SahityaSrushti' project. This initiative serves as a single platform for diverse literature, bringing together books from all authors and publishers on one portal. It offers literature enthusiasts a space for knowledge, and networking. Unlike traditional listings, this is a tech-driven initiative designed to deepen engagement with Marathi literature.
Deployment Mechanism:
The portal can be used as a Webapp, Apple iOS app and Android app
Key Features of the Pirtal:
- Single platform to demonstrate the rich and diverse content in Marathi literature
- Books from all authors and publishers
- Entertainment, knowledge, and networking facilities
- Book reviews and critiques
- Preservation of cultural and historical heritage
- A tech-driven initiative that goes beyond just listings
- Community involvement using 'Wiki-contribution' methodology
The portal features a comprehensive database of books, including details of all published works, such as authors, poets, translators, publishers, cover designers, illustrators. It will have a detailed data about number of pages, prices, genres, and whether they are original Marathi works or translations.
It will offer access to both old (out of print) and new books. It will include metadata about books since
Authors and poets:
A dedicated on the web portal section highlights Marathi literary figures, showcasing their photographs, brief biographies, and links to their works in print, e-book and audio-book formats.
Additional offerings include new book introductions, reviews, and interviews with renowned writers and poets. Users can locate desired books in participating libraries or access purchase links to publishers' websites. The platform also provides dictionaries, reference lists, and links to its social media pages for broader engagement.
Engagement and Community Features:
The portal will foster engagement through book clubs, author interviews, and expert recommendations. Readers can explore sneak peeks of upcoming books, details about nearby book exhibitions, and discussions on classic and popular works. The social media handle will have the latest news from the literary world and content from new and old TV shows (Pratibha ani Pratima, ABP Anandaache Paan) and literary interviews from platforms like Bookshelf.
Goal for CY 2025:
The project aims to boast an impressive scale, with information on 25,000 books, participation from 50 major publishers and 50 leading libraries. It also aims the involvement of 250 book reviewer and book-fluencers. After the public launch, provision to cater 10,000 active users is being made on MKCL Knowledge Foundation servers.
Inclusion of information about Marathi Lit Fests:
In CY 2026 it aims to do archival of classic magazines like Antarnad, Kirioskar, Satyakatha, Abakdai, and new magazines like Sadhana, and Lalit.
For academic and literary enthusiasts, the portal archives presidential speeches from Lit-fests like the Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, including PDFs of past speeches and audio video recordings from the last five years. Similar resources from other Lit Fests will also be made available.
Support Services for Writers and Publishers:
The project will extend beyond literature curation, offering information about ancillary services like proofreading, DTP (desktop publishing), print-on-demand, and translation. Additional utilities include standard writing guides, phonetic Marathi typing tools, spell checkers, and OCR mapping services for digitization.
Spreading Marathi amongst Non-Marathi Sphere:
The web portal aims to provide language learning with tools for non-Marathi speakers. They can learn Marathi from English and other official Indian languages.
Concluding Comments:
By listing publications on 'Marathi Sahityasrushti' publishers and authors will gain global visibility among Marathi readers, researchers, and literature lovers. Recently the government of India has declared Marathi as a classical language. The Marathi SahityaSrushti initiative not only amplifies Marathi literary engagement but also encourages community contributions, ensuring the language and its heritage thrive in the digital age.