CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: The Tagore International Literature and Arts Festival, ‘Vishwarang’, held annually in Bhopal, is being organised this time as a new initiative in Patna and Nalanda in Bihar until October 8. The first phase of Vishwarang 2026 in Patna focused on Indian culture, literature, art, language and the cultural consciousness of South and South-East Asian countries, with a range of programmes organised under the festival.
Hosted by the Vishwa Rang Foundation, Rabindranath Tagore University, Bhopal, and Dr. C.V. Raman University, Vaishali, the event saw participation from representatives of various countries, along with writers, artists, academicians and cultural workers from different states of India.
At the programme, noted thinker, author and former diplomat Pavan K. Varma delivered a lecture on “The Cultural Consciousness of South and South-East Asian Countries”, highlighting the historical links between India and these countries in language, literature, philosophy, art and cultural traditions. Eminent writer Leeladhar Mandloi shared his views on the rich tradition of Indian literature and art and its contemporary relevance.
At the inauguration, Bihar government minister Pramod Kumar said the hosting of Vishwarang in Bihar, a glorious land of knowledge, saints, literature and culture, was a historic occasion. He said Vishwarang was providing a shared platform for art, culture, literature and languages while connecting India’s diverse cultural traditions with global dialogue.
Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari said that amid the growing influence of technology and mobile phones, events such as Vishwarang could play an important role in connecting the younger generation with books, literature, art and culture, and in giving them a creative and positive direction.
Vishwa Rang Foundation chairman and Chancellor of Dr. C.V. Raman University, Vaishali, Santosh Choubey said Indian languages are carriers of our sensibilities, culture and knowledge traditions. Emphasising the need for education in the mother tongue and for developing Hindi as a skill, he said centres for translation, theatre, painting and other creative activities were being expanded in universities in line with the National Education Policy. He said that in the age of artificial intelligence, the need for “real intelligence” and sensitivity developed through art, literature, culture and human experiences had grown even more.
A cultural procession of Vishwarang taken out on the streets of Patna featured folk artists from Bihar, who presented a vibrant display of the state’s rich folk culture through traditional attire, folk dances and folk instruments. The procession conveyed the message of India’s cultural diversity and unity.
During the event, it was also announced that a large statue of Munshi Premchand would be installed at Premchand Rangshala in Patna. Santosh Choubey said installing Premchand’s statue at a place associated with his memories would be a symbol of respect for literary ancestors and their legacy.
Hundreds of students displayed their creative talent at the 8th Tagore Children’s Art Workshop held as part of Vishwarang. They gained practical experience in various forms of painting, sculpture, printmaking and photography. Senior artists and art experts interacted with the children and offered creative guidance. Certificates were presented to the participants at the end of the workshop.
Literature and theatre were also major attractions in the cultural programmes of Vishwarang. At the closing event, Delhi’s ‘Sambhav’ Art Group staged powerful performances of Santosh Choubey’s acclaimed stories ‘Unke Hisse Ka Prem’ and ‘Lekhak Banane Wale’, directed by noted theatre director and former National School of Drama director Devendra Raj Ankur. The productions presented themes such as love, literary ambition and the growing marketisation of literature in an effective theatrical style.
The programme began with the screening of the ‘Vishwarang film’. This was followed by a screening of the celebrated film ‘Antardrishti’ by legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray under the 8th Tagore National Art Seminar, introducing audiences to distinctive dimensions of Indian artistic vision and creativity.
On the occasion, the Vishwarang catalogue and a set of 12 volumes based on the cultural heritage of the Chaturvedi community were also released. Vishwarang 2026 in Patna made an important effort to bring literature, art, folk culture, language and theatre onto a common platform and connect Indian cultural consciousness with global dialogue. The event concluded with the spirit of “we will meet again” and the hope of a new creative journey.
In the next phase, Vishwarang activities will be held at Nalanda University until October 8, with academicians, writers and artists from across the country taking part in various sessions. More than 30 sessions are scheduled, including “Cultural Inter-relationship of South Asian Languages and Indian Languages”, “Translation – Language, Tradition and Development”, “Economic-Cultural Consciousness of the North-East and South-East Asian Countries”, “Nalanda’s Knowledge Tradition and the Universities of the Future”, “Indian Linguistic Cultural Consciousness and Threads of Unity” and “Multilingual Poetry Recitation”.
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