The RSS’s cultural wing, Prajna Pravah, is set to host its biennial seminar, Lokmanthan, in Telangana’s capital, and all official communications—from posters to invitations—refer to the venue as Bhagyanagar
The RSS has lent its weight to the BJP’s push for renaming Telangana’s capital, Hyderabad, as Bhagyanagar, aligning with its vision of reclaiming India’s “pre-invasion cultural identity”. It has been a tradition for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to call Indian cities by their ancient names, and for decades, it has addressed Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar Mahanagar in its internal communication and organisation structure. However, this time in an assertive move, the RSS’s cultural wing, Prajna Pravah, is set to host its biennial seminar, Lokmanthan, in Telangana’s capital, and all official communications—from posters to invitations—refer to the venue as Bhagyanagar.
The programme will be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu in the presence of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Explaining the choice of the name, Prajna Pravah chief and its national convener, J Nandakumar, stated, “For us, the city has always been Bhagyanagar Mahanagar and will remain so. We want it to be officially recognised as such in the future as well. This name goes beyond the city that is called Hyderabad. The name Bhagyanagar came from the ancient temple of Bhagya Laxmi. This is the Bharatiya name of the place.”
Lokmanthan—the four-day seminar on India’s “unadulterated culture”—also reflects the Sangh’s narrative of reasserting historical roots, with Bhagyanagar becoming a symbolic representation of that ethos. This development follows similar statements by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and union minister G Kishan Reddy, further intensifying the debate over the city’s identity and its ancient roots.
What is Lokmanthan?
Lokmanthan is a platform where artists, intellectuals, and academicians from across India converge to discuss societal and cultural challenges, reshape narratives, and reaffirm the country’s civilisational role.
The fourth edition of this event is organised by Prajna Pravah and Pragna Bharati—RSS-linked organisations—in collaboration with other Sangh affiliates like Itihaas Sankalan Samiti, Sanskara Bharati, Vijnana Bharati, Adhivakta Parishad, Bharatiya Sikshana Mandal, and Akhil Bharatiya Sahitya Parishad.
“Lok (in Hindi) doesn’t represent a community or people living in a particular geographical area. It represents ‘we the people’. Amidst apparent diversity, there is an inherent unity among people living in forests, villages, and cities. Lokmanthan is a churning about that cultural oneness,” said Nandakumar.
Kishan Reddy, union minister for coal and mines, is the chairman of the reception committee of Lokmanthan 2024, which consists of more than 120 people from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
According to sources in the RSS, Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy has also been invited, and he expressed his willingness to attend initially. He later informed the organising committee of his scheduled commitments, though the state government may send a cabinet minister, said the sources.
Countering ‘colonial narratives’
The event seeks to counter the colonial narratives that created artificial divisions among Indians, such as labelling forest dwellers as “Adivasis” to suggest that others were outsiders, said a senior RSS functionary who is a part of the organising committee.
“It emphasises the interconnectedness of Bharatiya culture across regions, transcending binaries of rural and urban or literate and illiterate. Rooted in the wisdom of gurukuls, where kings and commoners studied together, and practices like Vanaprastha, which signify life’s deep connection to forests, Lokmanthan seeks to celebrate the shared cultural heritage, traditions, and nature-respecting solutions that unite Bharat,” he explained. “These are parts of the Hindutva culture, but that culture and tradition have never been about religion. Hindutva never directed anyone to follow a particular way of worship. Hindutva binds everyone through its ancient tradition.”
Themed Lokavalokan (the examination of traditions and practices of Lok), this edition of Lokmanthan focuses on three dimensions: Lok Vichaar (thoughts shaping culture in harmony with nature), Lok Vyavhaar (practices evolving with circumstances), and Lok Vyavastha (systems ensuring holistic growth and security).
The seminar will see foreign delegates coming from Lithuania, Armenia, and Indonesia, and a few from Russia and China as well. However, the Russian delegate is a practising Buddhist, while the delegate from China is an Indian-origin individual, said sources in the RSS.
