Vedanta Makeathon
Blending timeless knowledge with modern creativity - a collaboration between Vedanta Bharati and Param Foundation.
Register
Register
Forget ordinary hackathons with slides, jargon and rushed code.
Vedanthon is for those who obsess over questions like What is real? Why do we see what we see? and then try to answer them using light, sensors, AI, illusions and clever engineering.
Over 2 months, you and your team will pick a deep idea from Vedanta called ‘Tattvas’ about perception, mind or reality and turn it into an interactive exhibit that people can walk into, touch, break, question and remember. This is not just about building “projects.” It is about building experiences that make visitors doubt their assumptions and trust their curiosity.
Vedanta Makeathon
Blending timeless knowledge with modern creativity - a collaboration between Vedanta Bharati and Param Foundation.
Vedanta Makeathon
Blending timeless knowledge with modern creativity - a collaboration between Vedanta Bharati and Param Foundation.
Register
Forget ordinary hackathons with slides, jargon and rushed code.
Vedanthon is for those who obsess over questions like What is real? Why do we see what we see? and then try to answer them using light, sensors, AI, illusions and clever engineering.
Over 2 months, you and your team will pick a deep idea from Vedanta called ‘Tattvas’ about perception, mind or reality and turn it into an interactive exhibit that people can walk into, touch, break, question and remember. This is not just about building “projects.” It is about building experiences that make visitors doubt their assumptions and trust their curiosity.
Forget ordinary hackathons with slides, jargon and rushed code.
Vedanthon is for those who obsess over questions like What is real? Why do we see what we see? and then try to answer them using light, sensors, AI, illusions and clever engineering.
Over 2 months, you and your team will pick a deep idea from Vedanta called ‘Tattvas’ about perception, mind or reality and turn it into an interactive exhibit that people can walk into, touch, break, question and remember. This is not just about building “projects.” It is about building experiences that make visitors doubt their assumptions and trust their curiosity.
What is Vedanta Makeathon?
What is Vedanta Makeathon?
A 2-month makeathon where students:
Start from a philosophical idea or question.
Explore it through science and design thinking using curiosity and creativity.
Get mentored and learn
End with a robust exhibit for the Final Showcase on Jan 31st.
You will be encouraged to connect Indian Knowledge Systems with modern science like ‘Maya’ and motion-induced blindness, ‘Chaitanya’ and neural activity, holographic projections and persistence of vision, causality and stroboscopic illusions, and more.
Start from a philosophical idea or question.
Explore it through science and design thinking using curiosity and creativity.
Get mentored and learn
End with a robust exhibit for the Final Showcase on Jan 31st.
You will be encouraged to connect Indian Knowledge Systems with modern science like ‘Maya’ and motion-induced blindness, ‘Chaitanya’ and neural activity, holographic projections and persistence of vision, causality and stroboscopic illusions, and more.
Some Examples
Perception Illusions (3D printed shadow illusions)
Perception Illusions (3D printed shadow illusions)
Mind control Drone (Brain Computer Interface)
Philosophy chatbot (LLM based chatbot)
Philosophy chatbot (LLM based chatbot)
Who is this For?
Who is this For?
Students in science, engineering, design, psychology, humanities and IKS.
Students in science, engineering, design, psychology, humanities and IKS.
Students in science, engineering, design, psychology, humanities and IKS.
Makers who love hardware, illusions, interaction and playful tech.
Makers who love hardware, illusions, interaction and playful tech.
Makers who love hardware, illusions, interaction and playful tech.
Philosophically curious people who want to build, not just debate.
Philosophically curious people who want to build, not just debate.
Philosophically curious people who want to build, not just debate.
College clubs, labs and studios that want to showcase serious creativity.
College clubs, labs and studios that want to showcase serious creativity.
College clubs, labs and studios that want to showcase serious creativity.
Why Join?
Why Join?
Not for followers, only for seekers.
Not for followers, only for seekers.
Prototype a philosophy
Prototype a philosophy
Prototype a philosophy
Turn a verse, a paradox or a thought experiment into a device people can actually try.
Turn a verse, a paradox or a thought experiment into a device people can actually try.
Learn to think like a builder of worlds
Learn to think like a builder of worlds
Learn to think like a builder of worlds
Take an idea from question to sketch to prototype to exhibit with real user feedback.
Take an idea from question to sketch to prototype to exhibit with real user feedback.
Transdisciplinary Mentorship
Transdisciplinary Mentorship
Transdisciplinary Mentorship
Get guidance from scientists, designers, IKS scholars, storytellers, and makers.
Get guidance from scientists, designers, IKS scholars, storytellers, and makers.
Real Audience, Real Impact
Real Audience, Real Impact
Real Audience, Real Impact
Your work will not sit in a PDF. It will sit in front of visitors who question it, stress-test it and remember it.
Your work will not sit in a PDF. It will sit in front of visitors who question it, stress-test it and remember it.
Portfolio and Pathways
Portfolio and Pathways
Portfolio and Pathways
Walk away with a flagship piece for your portfolio and a possible pathway into research, creative tech or innovation labs.
Walk away with a flagship piece for your portfolio and a possible pathway into research, creative tech or innovation labs.
The Basic Structure
You Bring:
A small team with mixed skills
Time, curiosity and commitment for 2 months
Hunger to push beyond comfort
We Provide:
Themes, prompts and provocations
Mentors and office hours
Access to tools, labs or maker resources (based on centre)
A stage for your exhibit and your story
You Bring:
A small team with mixed skills
Time, curiosity and commitment for 2 months
Hunger to push beyond comfort
We Provide:
Themes, prompts and provocations
Mentors and office hours
Access to tools, labs or maker resources (based on centre)
A stage for your exhibit and your story
Your Vedanta Makeathon Journey
Your Vedanta Makeathon Journey
Dec 1 / 15 / Jan 10
Orientation: Explore tattvas & science ideas
Orientation: Explore tattvas & science ideas
Week 1
Idea Storm: Pick your tattva & brainstorm your exhibit.
Idea Storm: Pick your tattva & brainstorm your exhibit.
Week 1–2
Idea Budget: Test illusions, build mini-mechanisms, try materials.
Idea Budget: Test illusions, build mini-mechanisms, try materials.
Week 2–4
Prototype Build: Build a working version — doesn’t need to look pretty.
Prototype Build: Build a working version — doesn’t need to look pretty.
Jan 1–25
Final Exhibit Build: Make it beautiful, safe, interactive & exhibition-ready.
Final Exhibit Build: Make it beautiful, safe, interactive & exhibition-ready.
Jan 30–31
Grand Showcase at Dakshinaasya Darshini
Grand Showcase at Dakshinaasya Darshini
What To Expect During the 2 Months?
What To Expect During the 2 Months?
Kickoff Orientation
Kickoff Orientation
Crash course on Tattvas, IKS perspectives and interactive exhibit design.
Concept Sprints
Concept Sprints
Refine your idea into a clear “visitor experience” before touching hardware.
Build Cycles
Build Cycles
Weekly build check-ins where you test, break and rebuild with mentor support
Playtests
Playtests
Invite small groups to try your prototype and observe what really happens
Final Showcase
Final Showcase
A public exhibition where visitors explore, question and vote for their favourite mind-benders.