More than 50,000 people from all over Maharashtra and neighbouring states are converging for the convention, hoping to steep themselves in cerebral pursuits for two whole days.

Considered the biggest literary event in any language in India, the sammelan provides a platform for thousands of budding writers, poets, and playwrights even as the veterans hold forth with mammoth crowds listening in rapt attention.

The billing of the sammelan itself is expected to be more than Rs 70 lakh, going by the Ahmednagar function last year. Book exhibitions themselves usually notch up sales amounting to Rs 10 to Rs 15 lakh. Given the scale and cost of the convention it is no wonder that a political stalwart from the district is usually installed aspresident of the reception committee. This time the mantle has fallen on Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, who also hails from Parli-Vajinath.

The sammelan has come a long way since renowned scholar Justice Mahadeo Govind Ranade organised the first Granthkar Sammelan in 1885 to create a rallying base for litterateurs against British hegemony.

``After Independence, most literary debates gradually waned and with it the focus shifted from writers to readers,'' says Sudhir Rasal, president of the organising committee, the Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Mahamandal. This is the 71st convention and, significantly, it has been a long time since the sammelan is being held at a rural venue.