BY — Dilip Guha
The Indraprastha Cultural Festival (ICF), a three-day mega-cultural celebration, concluded on 5th April 2026, at the India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road. Organised by the Delhi Government in collaboration with Sarayu Trust and Garuda Prakashan, the festival brought together diverse artistic expressions under one platform.
As an Organising Partner, Sarayu Trust played a pivotal role in shaping the festival’s vision of showcasing the ‘Delhi Unseen’—a cultural narrative that highlights hidden histories, forgotten traditions, and lesser-known artistic voices of the capital.
The Sarayu Foundation Trust, established in 2007, is a nonprofit organisation that has been financially supporting several grassroots organisations working in the fields of education and community empowerment. Beyond its philanthropic initiatives, it has undertaken projects of national significance, contributing to public discourse on Indian history and civilisation. It has emerged as a notable voice advocating a paradigm shift in how ordinary Indians perceive their heritage and cultural identity.
Garuda Prakashan has emerged as a prominent Indic publishing house, spearheading the intellectual resurgence of Indian civilisation within a short span of time. With a catalogue of more than 300 widely read titles, the publishing house has collaborated with influential authors and produced works grounded in rigorous scholarship.
The opening day featured a vibrant mix of performances, exhibitions, and interactive sessions, setting the tone for an immersive journey into Delhi’s rich and layered heritage
Addressing the inaugural event, Sarayu Trust Founder Shri Rahul Dewan remarked: “Delhi holds an immense cultural heritage that remains largely unknown. Nearly half of Delhi’s population comprises migrants, and yet the city is often portrayed only as a land of mausoleums—a makbara town. The idea behind this festival was to celebrate diversity and rediscover Delhi as it truly is.”
Garuda Prakashan Founder Shri Sankrant Sanu emphasised the importance of storytelling: “A civilisation that fails to tell its stories ceases to exist. We must narrate our stories in our own words, without intermediaries.” Calling the ICF an initiative of revitalisation, he added: “This is as much a literary gathering as it is a celebration of culture.”
Inaugurating the festival, Delhi’s Art, Culture & Languages Tourism Minister Shri Kapil Mishra described the ICF as part of a larger effort to bring truth to light and dispel misconceptions. He observed:
“A few years ago, one could not have imagined a festival like ICF being organised in Delhi by the government. Nor could we have imagined Sarayu Trust, Sangam Talks, and Garuda Prakashan joining hands with us for such a literary event. With truth, fact-based, and logical discussions, we will dispel the darkness spread by certain narratives.”
He hailed the event as a step toward cultural renaissance, noting that the name Indraprastha itself symbolised cultural assertion. He emphasised Delhi’s role as a “Mini India,” where traditions from across the country flourished in their most expansive forms. He praised platforms like Sangam Talks for fostering fact-based, logical, and evidence-driven dialogue, stressing that informed discourse was key to building constructive cultural consciousness.
The festival reaffirmed Delhi’s identity as a hub of diverse cultural expressions and strengthened its position as a centre for dialogue, tradition, and contemporary creativity.
The festival featured over 100 eminent speakers, more than 50 cultural performances, literary sessions, youth town halls, and special exhibitions, presenting India’s civilizational heritage alongside contemporary cultural discourse.
A short documentary, Delhi Unseen, was screened during the inauguration. Featuring veteran actor Shri Rakesh Bedi, Shri Bhavesh Bhabani, and experts, including Smt. Neera Misra (Founder, Draupadi Trust), archaeologist Shri Sanjay Manjul, and historian Shri Aman Nath, the film explored overlooked aspects of Delhi—from the ancient Aravallis to Khooni Jheel in the Ridge area and Purana Qila. Commenting on the film, Shri Bedi noted: “It is always good to add a touch of entertainment when addressing serious subjects, and I am glad the film achieved this balance.”
Speaking about his stitched-ship project INSV-Kaundinya, Shri Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, recalled:
“The idea came during COVID. When I presented it to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, he said ‘Karo (Do it),’ and after a pause added, ‘Doobna mat (Don’t drown).’ We now plan to take the ship towards the East Coast after evaluating its voyage to Oman.”
Author and Delhi High Court Senior Advocate Shri J. Saideepak reflected on Indic legal concepts, stating: “Terms like secularism should either be clearly defined or set aside. In the National Education Policy 2020, there is only a single paragraph on law, and it merely references AI and Law.”
The second day of the Indraprastha Cultural Festival (ICF) featured thought-provoking sessions on technology, sovereignty, and India’s civilizational identity.
Delivering the keynote address on “Technology & Swarajya”, former technocrat, author, and Founder of Infinity Foundation, Rajiv Malhotra, emphasised that India was lacking technological sovereignty, particularly in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He noted that India continued to rely on foreign technology giants while investing insufficiently in indigenous research and development. Malhotra remarked, “Feeling good about our soft power is just one part of what we need to do. Indraprastha is directly related to the Mahabharata, which is about pragmatism. Only getting emotional about the past will not help.”
He further argued that without hard power, soft power could not be sustained. Drawing parallels between the global military-industrial complex and India’s traditional Kshatriya-Vaishya framework, he stressed the importance of strength and enterprise in safeguarding sovereignty.
On the occasion of the launch of his book The Third Republic: Re-imagining the Indian State, Sankrant Sanu, Founder of Garuda Prakashan, called for a national dialogue on the idea of a “third republic.” He explained that the first republic was India’s ancient system of governance, while the second was shaped under British rule. He observed that the intellectual “manthan” that should have followed independence never truly began, and added: “Now, 75 years later, it is time we start talking about it.” He clarified that his book, co-authored with Priyank Bhardwaj, was intended as a draft for discussion rather than a final document.
The session was attended by R. Balasubramaniam, Member of the HR Capacity Building Commission, Government of India, and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, former President of ICCR and noted scholar.
Day 2 also featured a YouTubers’ Conference, where popular RJ and content creator RJ Raunac delivered a masterclass on digital content creation. He advised creators to identify their niche and present content in a relatable way, adding that low-effort content often went viral because audiences sought easy engagement.
The cultural day began with a soulful performance by Parvathy Baul, the renowned Baul singer, who presented a powerful exploration of the seven chakras and the worship of Shakti in diverse manifestations.
In the evening, it hosted a soulful evening of devotional and contemporary music featuring the acclaimed duo Ranjani and Gayatri. Renowned worldwide for their versatility, the sisters have built a distinguished career spanning three decades, with accomplishments across studio recordings, television, radio, concerts, festivals, and lecture demonstrations.
As leading exponents of Indian classical music, Ranjani and Gayatri have performed in multiple roles—soloists, violin duos, accompanists, vocalists, composers, educators, and ambassadors of Carnatic tradition. They are celebrated not only for preserving the unique beauty of their genre but also for innovating within it, ensuring its relevance for contemporary audiences.
At Night Delhi, a contemporary music band performs devotional songs at Habitat’s amphitheatre. Their performances transport audiences into a world of colour, beauty, and transcendental bliss, leaving a lasting impact on music lovers and inspiring younger musicians to follow their style. Beyond the stage, they devote significant time to teaching and mentoring students, many of whom have themselves become concert performers, carrying forward the glorious legacy of Indian classical music.
The Three-Day Celebration of Dialogue and Culture Concludes, continued to draw large audiences and vibrant participation.
The three-day Indraprastha Cultural Festival (ICF) concluded today with a crescendo of artistic performances and thought-provoking discussions on themes ranging from the challenges posed by Artificial Intelligence to the state of affairs in Bengal. The festival was organised by the Delhi Government, with Sarayu Trust and Garuda Prakashan as official partners.
Speaking in a session on AI, global business leader and author of Human Edge: Human Edge in the AI Age, Nitin Seth, remarked: “The Industrial Revolution made us seek comfort, giving us a lazier-bone tendency. But now, AI is going to challenge us, forcing us to innovate constantly.” Moderating the session, Garuda Prakashan Founder and author Sankrant Sanu observed that while trade-based jobs such as plumbing and electrical work would endure, the middle layer of employment was likely to disappear, leaving only those who innovate through AI at the top.
In a session on Bengal, Jay Bhattacharjee, author of Resurgent Bharat, argued that Hindus had often deceived themselves into believing that conditions were fine, while true independence had yet to be achieved. Kaushik Gangopadhyay, IIM professor and author of The Joy Bangla Deception, challenged the narrative that Bangladesh was created solely for the Bengali language. Panellist Ajay Chungroo added that genocidal processes continued in several parts of the country, similar to what had occurred in Kashmir.
On Statecraft and Culture, former Cabinet Minister and actor Smriti Irani emphasised that the state was not using culture as a tool of statecraft but rather presenting India’s identity in an elegant, non-aggressive manner. Referring to the success of Dhurandhar, she praised the filmmaker’s vision and the audience’s appreciation. Dr Neera Misra of Draupadi Trust highlighted the historical continuity of Indraprastha, noting its presence in Puranas, medieval maps, and British-era records, while calling for expanded archaeological work.
The day also featured impactful performances, including Pavithra Srinivasan’s Gita Natyam, a stage adaptation of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita through Bharatanatyam, music, and acting. Children from the School of Happiness, a division of Sarayu Trust, performed Ganesh Vandana and yoga demonstrations, showcasing the Trust’s commitment to educating underprivileged children.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Sangam Talks and Banasthali Vidyapeeth to strengthen girls’ education.
The festival concluded with Navarasa: The Mahabharata Experience, presented by the Apoorva Krishna Collective, which combined musical recitals with dramatic scenes from the Mahabharata war to depict the nine rasas as present in different episodes of the Mahabharata War. An initiative of Apoorva Krishna Collective, the show involved musical recitals bringing out the navaras, while the scenes from the war played in the background.
An immersive musical odyssey curated by violinist Apoorva Krishna was staged. The production blended Hindustani and Carnatic traditions to explore the nine fundamental human emotions—love, joy, sorrow, anger, courage, fear, disgust, wonder, and peace—through stories drawn from the epic Mahabharata.
Directed by Krishna, the ensemble featured leading musicians including Momin Khan (Sarangi), Malvica Chopra (Sitar), Rakshita Ramesh (Veena), Vinod Shyam (Mridangam), and Roopak Kallurkar (Tabla). Together, they created a unified sonic landscape of melodic depth and rhythmic interplay. Original atmospheric visuals, conceptualised by Krishna, complemented the live performance, serving not as literal depictions but as extensions of each rasa, allowing music, imagery, and silence to merge into one immersive journey.
Described as “nine emotions, one epic, a meeting of traditions,” the production invited audiences not just to witness the Mahabharata but to feel its emotional essence. Each rasa became a doorway into the complexity of human experience, reaffirming the timeless relevance of India’s civilizational heritage.
