Kalinjar Mahotsav will be organized in Banda from 15 to 17 February 2026. Based on the theme ‘Echoes of History, Soul of Culture’, this event will include Bundeli folk dance, Alha singing, sports competitions, ‘Banda’s Got Talent’ and Saras Mela.
Lucknow. The three-day Kalinjar Mahotsav 2026 will be organized from 15 to 17 February 2026 on the historical land of Banda district of Bundelkhand. This time the theme of the festival has been kept as ‘Echoes of History, Soul of Culture’. This event will be dedicated to the rich cultural heritage, folk traditions and diverse forms of art of Uttar Pradesh. The festival will be organized at Katra Kalinjar Fair Ground with the joint efforts of District Tourism-Culture Council and District Administration.
Cultural presentations of Bundeli folk dance, Alha singing and folk songs.
Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said that in the Kalinjar Mahotsav, there will be special presentations of Bundeli folk dance, Alha singing full of heroic essence, bhajans and traditional folk songs. Through these programs, the folk traditions and cultural identity of the region will be given a platform. This event is an effort to give a new identity to the cultural heritage of Bundelkhand.
Sports Festival 2026: Kho-Kho, Kabaddi and Dangal will increase the enthusiasm of youth
Along with cultural programs, sports festival will also be organized in the three-day Kalinjar Mahotsav. Sports competitions will take place daily from 8 am to 4 pm.
- 15 February: Kho-Kho competition
- 16 February: Kabaddi competition
- 17th February: Dangal Competition
Through these competitions, youth will get an opportunity to showcase their sports talent and strengthen their competitive spirit.
‘Banda’s Got Talent’: Local talents will get a big platform
‘Banda’s Got Talent’ program will be organized every day from 1 pm to 3 pm during the festival.
- 15 February: School level competition
- 16 February: College level competition
- 17 February: Special presentations of district level winners of Cultural Festival 2025-26
The objective of this program is to provide a platform to local artists and talents, so that they can showcase their art.
‘Today’s evening in the name of Kalinjar’: Stage will be decorated in cultural evening
There will be presentations of Bundeli folk culture under ‘Local Cultural Heritage’ from 4 pm to 6 pm on all three days of the festival. This will include folk dance, folk singing, Alha singing, bhajans and traditional songs. A special cultural evening will be organized under the program ‘Aaj Ki Sham Kalinjar Ke Naam’ from 6 pm to 10 pm.
- 15th February: Trupti Shakya & Group
- 16 February: Sadho The Band & Group and Radha Srivastava & Group
- 17 February: Mamta Sharma and Raja Rancho
These presentations will make the evenings of the festival memorable.
Divisional Saras Fair and exhibition of products of self-help groups
Divisional Saras Fair will also be organized under Kalinjar Mahotsav. In this, an exhibition of products of women self-help groups associated with the National Rural Livelihood Mission will be organized. Along with this, stalls, conferences and seminars of various departments will also be organised. This fair will be helpful in promoting local products and strengthening the rural economy.
Tourism Department’s goal: Kalinjar Fort to get global recognition
Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism, Culture and Charitable Works Department, Amrit Abhijat said that Kalinjar Mahotsav 2026 is a symbol of Bundelkhand’s historical identity and public participation. He said that the state government has given a new height to the identity of Kalinjar Fort by prominently displaying it in the Republic Day tableau. The objective of the Tourism Department is to place the historical and heritage sites of Bundelkhand on the national and international tourism map. This event will play an important role in promoting tourism, strengthening the local economy and preserving cultural heritage.