Kshipra Tirth Parikrama in Ujjain on May 25–26, “Sadanira Samagam” in Bhopal from May 27 to June 2

Under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, the Government of Madhya Pradesh has been working continuously towards water self-reliance. The ‘Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan’, launched to conserve and rejuvenate rivers, ponds and traditional water structures across the state, has now evolved into a large-scale people’s movement with active public participation. So far, 1,81,763 water conservation-related works have been successfully completed under the campaign.

As part of the campaign, the Maharaja Vikramaditya Research Institute will organise the ‘Kshipra Teerth Parikrama’ in Ujjain on May 25–26. Several renowned artists, including folk singer Maithili Thakur, will perform during this religious and cultural event. Simultaneously, Veer Bharat Nyas will organise the ‘Sadanira Samagam’ at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal from May 27 to June 2.

Shipra Tirth Parikrama and Cultural Programmes on Ganga Dussehra in Ujjain

Culture Advisor to the Chief Minister and Director of Maharaja Vikramaditya Research Institute, Shri Ram Tiwari, informed that the Shipra Tirth Parikrama and cultural programmes being organised in Ujjain on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra will be a significant spiritual and cultural event. Beginning from Ramghat on May 25, the parikrama will pass through Nrisingh Ghat, Karkaraj Temple, Vedhshala, Mahamrityunjay Dwar and Prashantidham Shani Temple before reaching Datt Akhada Ghat, where devotees will halt overnight. On the following day, coinciding with Ganga Dussehra, the procession will continue through Ranjit Hanuman Temple, Bhairavgarh, Siddhawat, Mangalnath, Sandipani Ashram, Garhkalika and Gopal Temple before concluding again at Ramghat. During the parikrama, Chief Minister Dr. Yadav will offer a 300-foot chunari to Maa Shipra.

As part of the cultural programmes scheduled for May 25–26 in Ujjain, a ‘Harikatha’ based on the Narad Katha Gayan tradition by Pandit Dholi Buwa Maharaj has been held daily at Ramghat since May 17, from 7:30 PM onwards. Additionally, devotional music performances at Datt Akhada Ghat will feature Shreyash Shukla and troupe from Indore, as well as folk singer Sanjo Baghel and troupe from Jabalpur. The main events on May 26 will include a performance by the Indian Navy band, bhajan jamming by Mumbai-based Keshavam Band, and devotional renditions by Maithili Thakur and her troupe.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav to Inaugurate ‘Sadanira Samagam’ at Bharat Bhavan

Trust Secretary Shri Tiwari informed that ‘Sadanira Samagam’ will be organised at Bharat Bhavan from May 27 to June 2, 2026. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav will formally inaugurate the event at 7 PM on May 27. The programme will be chaired by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Culture, Tourism, Religious Trust and Endowments, Shri Dharmendra Singh Lodhi. Group Director of the Geology Group at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Hyderabad, Dr. Ishwar Chandra Das, will attend as the special guest.

The seven-day conclave will host a national discourse focused on water conservation, Indian culture and the Panchamahabhutas — water, earth, air, sky and fire. Scholars, scientists, artists, environmentalists and policymakers from India and abroad will participate in the event. This will be the first occasion where representatives from major institutions and corporations such as ISRO, JK Trust, HUL Foundation, JK Cement, JSW, Tata Trusts, MDL, IGRMS, Hero Future Energies, ONGC, Hindustan Power, Vedanta Group and Tata Sons will come together on a single platform to deliberate on water conservation. Diplomatic representatives from nine countries, including Fiji, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela, Mexico, Suriname, Ecuador, Cyprus and Nepal, will also participate, giving the event an international character.

Various sessions based on the Panchamahabhutas in Indian philosophy will be organised during the Samagam. Experts will deliberate on groundwater resources, environment, renewable energy, culture, and traditional knowledge systems. Representatives from prestigious institutions, including ISRO, Banaras Hindu University, Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya and CSR heads of several corporate institutions, will participate.

Every evening, the event will feature dance dramas, folk music and theatrical performances. Major attractions will include the Indian Navy Band Symphony, Govardhan Leela, Ganga Yatra, Amritmay, Nadi Geet, Pani Nama, Laghushanka Nagar, Jal Pravah, Narmade Har, Swanlake, Critical Point and ‘Narmada Har Kankar Shankar’. A special performance by South Korea’s ‘Moot Dance Company’ will also be presented. Folk-cultural performances representing Malwa, Nimar, Bundelkhand and Baghelkhand regions will connect audiences with regional traditions and heritage.

‘Pravah Film Festival’ and Water-Centric Exhibitions to be Major Attractions

Under the Samagam, the ‘Pravah Film Festival’ will be organised at the Abhirang Auditorium of Bharat Bhavan from May 28 to June 2. Fifteen Hindi and fifteen English documentaries and docu-drama films centred on water-related themes will be screened. Featured films include ‘Jal Sankat’, ‘Ganga River’, ‘Jal Daku’, ‘When Every Drop Counts’, ‘Rivers in Danger’ and ‘The Last Drop’. A national tribal painting workshop and a traditional water-themed art workshop focused on “Water, Forest and Life” will also be organised with participation from artists nationwide. across the country.

Four special exhibitions on water-related themes will also be organised during the Samagam. These include ‘Water in Miniature Paintings’, ‘Groundwater Resources’, ‘Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan in Madhya Pradesh’, and ‘Aquatic Life: Essence of Water Ecology’. The exhibitions are being organised with support from the Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology (MAPCOST), Barkatullah University and the Regional Museum of Natural History, Bhopal.

Six Books on Water and Culture to be Released

Six books centred on water and culture will also be released during the event. These include ‘Antarjali Yatra’ by Veer Bharat Nyas and MAPCOST, ‘Purovak’ by Veer Bharat Nyas, ‘Aatma Ki Ghati Mein Pani Ka Sangeet’ by Shri Premshankar Shukla, ‘Yugyugeen Jal’ by Shri Dinesh Pathak, ‘Jal, Sanskriti’ by Shri Rajeshwar Trivedi and books by Dr. Pradeep Jilwane titled ‘Sthapatya’ and ‘Lok Teerth Mahatmya’.

The event is being jointly organised with the support of Bharat Bhavan, Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum, Public Relations Department, Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology, Directorate of Archaeology, Archives and Museums, Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, Dattopant Thengadi Research Institute, United Consciousness, SAGE University, LNCT University, SAM Global University and the Bhopal district administration.