The Vedaaranya Heritage and Healing Festival 2025 breathes new life into the historic town of Ramgarh Shekhawati. Every winter, this once-forgotten town transforms into a cultural hub, drawing visitors from around the world, says GYANESHWAR DAYAL
The Vedaaranya Heritage and Healing Festival, popularly known as VHAH FEST 2025 transforms the historic town of Ramgarh Shekhawati, Rajasthan, into a vibrant cultural hub every winter. For five days in February, the quiet, dusty town of Ramgarh Shekhawati transformed into a vibrant spectacle of music, dance, colours, and captivating performances that left audiences enthralled.
Welcome to VHAH Festival 2025, a celebration that goes beyond mere entertainment. VHAH is a dedicated effort to rekindle tourism in Ramgarh Shekhawati, serving a greater purpose: reviving the town’s rich heritage. This eagerly awaited event every year promises an immersive journey into the rich tapestry of heritage, music, dance, wellness, and artistic splendor, all set against the breathtaking backdrop of Rajasthan’s architectural grandeur.
But how do these two elements – A cultural festival and Heritage conservation - come together? A silent yet a profound revolution is taking shape in a small town in Rajasthan’ Sikar district – Ramgarh Shekhawati. Known for its exquisitely carved havelis and frescos, it is now one of the finest examples of how to protect and conserve the heritage. And more than money you need passion and dedication to do so; money follows. What began as an effort to restore an ancestral haveli by Shruti Poddar, now the convenor of INTACH Shekhawati chapter has grown into a full-blown revival of the town and an effort to put it on the world map of tourism. Indeed, it has been a long and arduous journey but is worth the pain and the effort. Shruti tells us that when she returned from the UK she was amazed to see the heritage her ancestors left and was in tears that her own folk had abandoned such a rich heritage to settle in big towns.
She began brick by brick reviving the haveli she lived with bats and her dedication inspired people around and it gradually people started taking interest in the revival of more havelis, most of them are over two hundred years and done in limestone and bricks and stones, carved with exquisite designs and painted with frescos on their facades with wet colours on plasters.
But then for everything you need money, people need to be interested in visiting it so that money pours into once the richestest place in the place in terms of per capita income. Ruiyas, Khetans, Khemkas Poddars the big Marwari business families have their genesis in Ramgarh and it shows. In the Havelis they lived in, Frescos done in gold, Belgium glasses on the wall and silk smooth flooring done in limestone and seashells all tell you what the town is all about.
The guests from across the world came to be part of this immersive experience. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister for Culture and Tourism, (incidentally he has Shekhawat as his last name) spent a day to understand the town and what it takes to revive it. He promised government support to provide infrastructure like airport link and train halt of fast trains at Ramgarh station.
The festival has grown bigger and bigger in size, both in terms of numbers and scope and has been adding newer elements to it. This year's theme was love – Shringar Ras. One major highlight of VHAH FEST 2025 was a heartfelt tribute to the legendary filmmaker Guru Dutt on his 100th birth anniversary. This special commemoration also brought together film enthusiasts and scholars for screenings, discussions, and live performances celebrating his unparalleled contributions to Indian cinema. Among the notable events is an exploration of Guru Dutt’s cinematic journey, led by Nasreen Munni Kabir and Shruti Nada Poddar. Additionally, Amrish Mishra directed a grand musical concert dedicated to Guru Dutt’s timeless melodies. The Moonlight Mehfil featured a live performance of classic Guru Dutt film songs, presented by Anuraag Poddar over an intimate dinner setting.
Adding to the festival’s allure was the launch of “The Grand Archway” at MOHAR Haveli, an exclusive Museum Art Gallery. This inaugural exhibition presented rare oleographs by Raja Ravi Varma and M. V. Dhurandhar, offering a rare glimpse into the artistic heritage of India. The exhibition will be inaugurated by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, alongside Prince Rama Varma, a descendant of Raja Ravi Varma, further enriching the festival’s cultural offerings.
Evenings at VHAH FEST 2025 were dedicated to the evocative essence of Shringar Rasa, celebrating beauty, love, and romance through spellbinding music and dance performances. The classical performances by Geeta Chandran celebrated the theme of Sringar.
A fusion of Rajasthani folk and Irish dance led by Jason Donnelly and the Kalbelia dancers the same evening, and immerse themselves in Odissi maestro Vidushi Sujata Mohapatra’s interpretation of Jayadeva’s "Gita Govinda" on February 15.
The divine love of Radha-Krishna was brought to life through a soulful jugalbandi by Acharya Shrivatsa Goswami and Padmashri Geeta Chandran, while Prince Rama Varma’s musical concert, set against the backdrop of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings added another layer of artistic enchantment.
For those eager to explore the architectural wonders of Shekhawati, the festival offered a Heritage Walk, allowing visitors to discover the intricate frescoes, havelis, temples, and chhatris that define the region’s historical landscape. Participants had the choice to traverse the town’s scenic paths in camel carts, tuk-tuks, or vintage cars.
Beyond performances and exhibitions, VHAH FEST 2025 invites attendees to engage in hands-on learning through an array of workshops and healing experiences. Ayurvedic healing sessions, heritage restoration demonstrations, and traditional craft workshops will offer participants a chance to deepen their connection with India’s artistic and wellness traditions. From turban-tying demonstrations to appliqué and weaving sessions featuring artisans from Barmer and Shekhawati, the festival provides an opportunity to witness and partake in the preservation of age-old crafts. As the sun set over the Shekhawati sand dunes and the echoes of music and laughter fill the air,
VHAH FEST 2025 ended with a promise of bringing more to life for the revival of the town of Ramgarh Shekhawati! VHAH FEST was organised in collaboration and supported by Indian Ministry of Tourism, Department of Tourism, Govt of Rajasthan, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, INTACH shekhawati chapter.
