Chhattisgarh: Sirpur Heritage Festival to be held from Feb 1-3 to celebrate Buddhist legacy, culture

Raipur, Jan 30 (PTI) The annual Sirpur Heritage Festival will be held in Chhattisgarh from February 1 to 3 to celebrate the region’s rich Buddhist legacy, culture and global connections, an official said on Friday.

The event will be organised at Sirpur, one of India’s most significant ancient centres of Buddhist learning, in Mahasamund district, said Dhammshil Ganvir, Chief Executive Officer of Sirpur Special Area Development Authority (SADA).

Sirpur, which occupies a distinguished place in Buddhist history, was once a flourishing monastic and intellectual hub, believed to have housed more than 10,000 Buddhist monks at its peak, he said.

The renowned Chinese scholar and pilgrim Xuanzang (Hsuan-Tsang), who visited Sirpur around 630-645 CE, documented its vibrant monasteries, learned scholars and dynamic intellectual life, he said.

With this legacy at its core, the Sirpur Heritage Festival 2026 aims to place Sirpur firmly on the national and international cultural map, strengthen its position in the global Buddhist circuit, and promote awareness of its outstanding universal value, Ganvir said.

The festival is also aligned with ongoing efforts to prepare Sirpur for nomination as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage Site, highlighting its archaeological importance and living cultural traditions, he said.

The festival will be organised on a grand scale with international participation. Delegates from Bhutan and South Korea, along with representatives from Japan, are expected to attend, he said.

A high-level panel discussion on “UNESCO Aspirations for Sirpur” will also be held during the festival, focusing on conservation, global recognition and sustainable cultural tourism, he said.

The three-day event will feature a mix of classical, folk, spiritual and contemporary performances, the official said.

The opening evening on February 1 will include Chhattisgarhi folk dances, Kathak, the Tathagat drama, Dhrupad recital, performances by students of Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh, and a special presentation by noted singer Baba Hansraj Raghuvanshi, he said.

On February 2, cultural programmes will include Sufi spiritual music by Ustad Vusat Iqbal Khan of the Delhi Gharana, a Kabir musical evening, the Therigatha drama highlighting the voices of early Buddhist nuns, and a performance by Indian Idol fame singer Hemant Brijwasi.

The festival will conclude on February 3 with performances by artists from across Chhattisgarh, including Panthi, Danda and Bastariya dances, followed by a grand finale by popular Bollywood music duo Meet Brothers, he said.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has extended his best wishes for the successful organisation of the programme. He said the festival is being organised annually to preserve and promote Chhattisgarh’s ancient cultural, historical and archaeological heritage.

Such events not only strengthen the state’s cultural identity but also help promote tourism and create new livelihood opportunities for local residents, he added. PTI TKP NR