Within the final week of January, I boarded an early practice to the historic city of Ramgarh Shekhawati, Rajasthan. I used to be there for the tenth anniversary of the Vedaaranya Heritage and Therapeutic Pageant (VHAH) that happened from January 22 to 26. Now, as February attracts to an in depth, these 5 days nonetheless play in my thoughts like frescoes that refuse to fade.
Seth Ramgopal Poddar Chhatri
Hosted by the Shruti Basis in partnership with UNESCO and the Indian Nationwide Belief for Artwork and Cultural Heritage, the VHAH occasion unfolded throughout Ramgarh’s painted havelis (mansions), chhatris (cenotaphs), and historic stepwells.
Ramgarh, usually referred as Doosra Kashi for its wealthy Sanskrit scholarship, can be referred to as India’s largest open-air artwork gallery. Throughout the pageant, the city felt much less like a venue and extra like an intimate, soulful journey into historical past.
The 2026 theme, ‘Girls in Heritage,’ set a strong tone for the occasion. I keep in mind sitting within the courtyard as Tim Curtis, Director and Consultant for the UNESCO Regional Workplace, New Delhi, spoke about safeguarding cultural reminiscence. In the meantime, influential voices like actor-singer Ila Arun and Ranisa Kadambari Jadeja (Maharani of Rajkot) mirrored on the female pressure that shapes artwork and custom.
The evenings had been reworked by highly effective performances by Ila Arun, Kathak artists Gauri Sharma Tripathi and Tarini Tripathi’s The Descent of Shakti, the haunting sounds of Chant and Cello, adopted by Manganiyar musicians and Kalbeliya dancers.
The times moved at a slower, extra immersive tempo. By craft workshops, heritage walks, and classes on Ayurvedic therapeutic, the deep knowledge of the Shekhawati area was revealed.
What stayed with me most was the imaginative and prescient of the founder, Woman Shruti Nada Poddar. She sees Ramgarh not as a dusty relic of the previous, however as a habitat of the long run. By restoring areas like Mohar Haveli, native temples, and johads (water reservoirs), she strives to rebuild a dwelling cultural ecosystem.
As I returned to Delhi by practice, I mirrored on how Ramgarh had provided me one thing uncommon: an opportunity to pause and reconnect. A month later, the VHAH celebration nonetheless looks like a journey I proceed to hold inside me.
Tips on how to get there:
Ramgarh Shekhawati is positioned close to the key railway junction of Churu. The commonest route, nonetheless, is to fly into Jaipur from the place the city is a easy 170 km drive.
Greatest time to go to:
Whereas the VHAH takes place in late January, the area is finest explored between October and March. For sightseeing, one of many must-dos is a sundown stroll to Sethani ka Johad.
The creator’s journey was sponsored by the organiser, Vedaaranya Heritage and Therapeutic Pageant (VHAH).
