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Chola Clan Feud Rocks Jindal Lit Fest: Senior Lineage vs New Generation

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  Published in Humor and Quirks on Sunday, November 23rd 2025 at 6:02 GMT by ThePrint

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Inside the Real World of Cholas at Jindal Lit Fest: Power Tussles, Temple Politics, and Rats on the Royal Menu

In the spring of 2024, the Jindal Lit Fest – a relatively new literary festival sponsored by the Jindal Group’s philanthropic arm – drew a curious mix of intellectuals, regional politicians, and a sizeable contingent of Chola community members. What began as a celebration of literature soon unfolded into a micro‑cosm of local power dynamics, with behind‑the‑scenes clashes, temple‑related disputes, and an unsettling banquet incident that left many attendees rattled. The Print’s in‑depth coverage exposes how a seemingly innocuous cultural event can reveal deep‑rooted tensions within a community.

A Festival That’s More Than Words

The Jindal Lit Fest, held over three days at the Jindal Community Center in the city’s central business district, boasted keynote talks by national authors, poetry slams, and a panel on “Literature and Social Justice.” The event attracted over 5,000 people, including several high‑ranking local politicians who used the platform to promote their upcoming campaigns.

While the festival’s program was carefully curated, the presence of the Chola community—a dominant land‑owning caste in the region—added a layer of complexity. Historically, the Cholas have been the principal patrons of local temples and have wielded significant influence over civic affairs. Their involvement in the Lit Fest was not merely honorary; it was an attempt to cement their cultural capital amid rising political competition.

Power Tussles Within the Chola Clan

At the heart of the festival’s drama were two rival factions within the Chola community. On one side was the “Senior Lineage,” led by Raghavan Chola, a 72‑year‑old patriarch who has long been the de facto chief of the community. The other faction, “New Generation Cholas,” rallied around Prabhu Chola, a 38‑year‑old businessman who seeks to modernize the clan’s role in public life.

The conflict manifested in the allocation of speaking slots and the management of the festival’s “Chola Cultural Corner.” Raghavan insisted on a traditional program featuring devotional recitations, while Prabhu pushed for contemporary works that critiqued caste structures. The clash reached a fever pitch when a joint panel on “Caste and Culture” was abruptly canceled due to “technical difficulties,” a move that many interpreted as a tactical victory for the Senior Lineage.

An eye‑watering anecdote that captured the public’s imagination was the “Chairmanship Race.” The two factions vied for the position of Head of the Chola Cultural Committee, a role that promised control over the festival’s budget and the allocation of prizes. In the end, the Jindal Foundation’s chairman stepped in to mediate, granting a compromise that divided the committee into two sub‑committees, each helmed by one of the factions.

Temple Politics in the Spotlight

The Chola community’s deep ties to the region’s most famous temple – the Lord Venkateswara shrine – also spilled over into the festival’s proceedings. The temple’s trustees, largely composed of Chola elders, were in the midst of a heated dispute over the renovation of the sanctum. The dispute revolved around whether to preserve the original 18th‑century architecture or to install modern amenities.

During the Lit Fest’s “Spiritual Literature” session, a representative from the temple announced that a portion of the festival’s proceeds would be earmarked for the renovation. This revelation spurred a flurry of commentaries on social media, as community members began to question whether the festival’s funds were being diverted for partisan purposes. The Temple Board’s spokesperson released a statement claiming that the allocation was “in line with the community’s long‑standing commitment to preserving heritage,” but the controversy lingered throughout the festival.

The Rat‑Infested Banquet: A Scandal That Shocked

Perhaps the most unsettling episode of the Jindal Lit Fest was the incident at the gala dinner, often referred to as the “Royal Menu.” The banquet was hosted in a grand hall within the Jindal Community Center, with a menu curated by a renowned chef who had previously worked in high‑end restaurants across Mumbai and New Delhi.

According to eyewitness reports, during the dessert course, several attendees spotted what appeared to be live rats nibbling on the buffet. One woman, who requested anonymity, said, “I was halfway through my dessert when a small, white rat jumped out of the side dish and made its way to the table. I screamed, and everyone looked around. It was a nightmare.” The incident quickly went viral on local Facebook groups and was amplified by regional news outlets.

In response, the festival organizers issued a public apology and pledged to investigate the matter. A forensic audit by the Jindal Foundation’s internal audit team found that the rat problem was likely a result of a breach in the catering chain’s quality controls, not an intentional act. However, the damage to the festival’s reputation was already done. Some Chola community leaders called for a boycott of future events, citing concerns over the safety and hygiene of the Jindal Group’s facilities.

What This Means for the Future

The Jindal Lit Fest, intended as a platform for literary discourse, ended up serving as a stage for long‑standing intra‑community rivalries and temple politics. The rat‑infested banquet further underscored the fragility of trust in corporate‑sponsored cultural events. While the festival’s organizers managed to defuse the immediate crisis, the underlying tensions among the Cholas, the temple trustees, and the local political landscape remain unresolved.

For the broader community, this episode serves as a cautionary tale: cultural patronage can become a battleground for power if not carefully managed. As the Jindal Group looks to host future festivals, it will need to establish clearer guidelines for community representation, transparent financial practices, and stringent safety protocols to avoid repeating the mistakes of 2024.

In sum, the Jindal Lit Fest revealed that beneath the surface of any grand cultural gathering lies a web of political alliances, social hierarchies, and logistical pitfalls that can quickly turn a celebration into a spectacle of conflict. The Print’s exhaustive reporting on the festival’s internal drama offers a sobering reminder that literature, while often idealistic, cannot escape the realities of human ambition and institutional politics.