Rajgir Mahotsav

Logo of Rajgir Mahotsav

Status| active
Genre| festivals
Venue| Quila Maidan, Rajgir International Convention center
Location(s)| Rajgir, Nalanda district, Bihar
Country| India
Years active|

* 1986–1989
* 1994–present

Inaugurated| 4 April 1986 (1986-04-04)
Most recent| 27–29 December 2020[1]
Next event| 2021
Attendance| approx. 1 lakh (2013)[2]
Budget| ₹90 lakh[2]
Website| nalanda.bih.nic.in/en

Rajgir Mahotsav or festival, formerly Rajgir Nritaya (Dance) Mahotsav,[3][4] is a festival of dance and music. It is an annual three-day event in Rajgir, Bihar, India, that was first held in 1986. It is organized by the Nalanda district administration with the help of the Government of Bihar’s Department of Culture and Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation.[5]

## Overview[edit]

Bindeshwari Dubey, the then Chief Minister of Bihar, had inaugurated the festival in Swarna Bhadar area of Rajgir on 4 April 1986.[6][4] The Tourism Department of Bihar Government had sponsored festival until 1989. After 1989, event abandoned for reasons unknown. Few years later in 1994, it was again started and since then, it is an annual event in the calendar of Bihar Government.[6]

Various competitions on Tonga race, martial arts competitions, mehndi contest, mahila utsav, food plaza, gramshree mela etc. have been introduced recently besides organizing performance by artists of national and international repute. Qila Maidan located in the backdrop of Ratnagiri hills is its current venue.[6] In 2016, Rajgir Mahotsav was organized from 25 to 27 November.[7]

In 2017, Rajgir Mahotsav will be organized from 25 to 27 November.[8]

After Successful Rajgir Mahotsav of 2019, Rajgir Mahotsav of 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mukesh Kumar, manager at a hotel run by the BSTDC said that in 2020 also, majority of the state tourism functions were cancelled due to Covid. “Events like Buddha Purnima, Rajgir Mahotsav and Sonepur fair had to be cancelled,” he said.[9]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Nitish Inaugurates Rajgir Mahotsav". PatnaDaily.Com. 29 December 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
2. ^ a b "Tourists fail to keep Rajgir date". Telegraphindia.com. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
3. ^ Nadim, Farrukh (14 December 2013). "Kailash Kher, Kavita Seth to perform at Rajgir Mahotsava". The Times of India. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
4. ^ a b Tripathi, Piyush Kumar (30 November 2015). "Bright spot fights fair gloom - Festival juggles themes over years". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 December 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
5. ^ Nadim, Farrukh (22 December 2013). "Bid to make Rajgir Mahotsava a spectacular event". The Times of India (Patna). Retrieved 27 May 2014.
6. ^ a b c Nadim, Farrukh (29 December 2012). "Deputy CM opens Rajgir festival". The Times of India (Patna). Retrieved 27 May 2014.
7. ^ "An Enthralling Charm of Rajgir Mahotsav - Travel News India". travelnewsindia.com. 1 December 2016.
8. ^ "अंतर्राष्ट्रीय राजगीर महोत्सव के राज्य स्तरीय कवि सम्मेलन में होगा हिंदी, उर्दू , अंगिका, बज्जिका, भोजपुरी, मैथिली, मगही के कवियों का समागम". angika.com. 1 November 2017.
9. ^ "Fearing second wave, Bihar tourism dept cancels all mega events". 6 April 2021.