The first edition of the Nalanda Literature Festival (NLF) is set to take place from 21st to 25th December in Rajgir, Nalanda, Bihar, India bringing together voices from literature, culture, performing arts, and academia to celebrate the timeless legacy of Nalanda as a global centre of knowledge and dialogue.
Strengthening the festival’s academic foundation, the Nalanda Literature Festival has announced a significant association with Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (NNM), the renowned Central University dedicated to the study of Pali, Buddhism, and ancient Indian knowledge traditions. This collaboration reflects the festival’s core vision of reconnecting with the historic “Nalanda Spirit” of intellectual exchange, multicultural dialogue, and literary exploration.
As part of this association, a special session titled “Exploring Nalanda Spirit in the World” will be held on 23rd December. The session will be facilitated by Prof. Siddharth Singh, Vice Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, and will feature renowned artists and speakers Shovana Narayan and Akhilendra Mishra. The discussion will explore the Nalanda Spirit through linguistic and literary expressions from across the world, examining how storytelling, language, performance, and cultural narratives continue to echo Nalanda’s universal values of knowledge-sharing and creativity.
Further extending this collaboration beyond the main festival venue, a curated visit to Nava Nalanda Mahavihara has been scheduled for 21st December for select festival delegates and participants. The visit will provide an immersive academic experience, enabling attendees to explore the university campus, engage with scholars, and gain firsthand insight into NNM’s significant role in preserving and promoting Nalanda’s ancient educational heritage.
As part of the visit, delegates will also get an opportunity to explore the Xuanzang Memorial Campus of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, a landmark centre honouring the legacy of the great Chinese Buddhist monk-scholar Xuanzang. The campus stands as a powerful reminder of the centuries-long intellectual exchange between India and East Asia. It reinforces Nalanda’s historic role as a global hub of knowledge and cultural dialogue. In addition to this, the festival will also feature a special cultural event led by renowned folk singer Ms Rekha Jha and her “Bihar Ek Virasat” team.
The partnership between the Nalanda Literature Festival and Nava Nalanda Mahavihara adds a distinctive scholarly dimension to the festival’s programming, seamlessly blending classical learning with contemporary literary and cultural discourse.
The Nalanda Literature Festival will offer a rich blend of literature, dialogue, cultural performances, youth engagements, and immersive experiences rooted in India’s legacy of learning. Registrations and tickets are now live on the NLF website and BookMyShow.
