The Bon Bibi & Dakshin Ray Festival 2026
28 January – 31 January 2026 · Kalitala, Raimangal Riverbank, Hingalganj, Sundarbans
Four Days. A Shining Riverbank. 400 Artists. One Urgent Mission... Save the Mangroves.
The annual fiesta organised by Breathing Roots where cyclone survivors restore forests by day and perform 400-year-old ballads by night. Where Bengal's living folk traditions meet the front lines of climate action. Where the Sundarban’s mystic mangroves join the songs of its people.
Join us where hope takes root — in mangroves, music, and the soul of Bengal.
Why This Festival Matters
- Ecological: The Sundarbans' mangrove shield is collapsing faster than ever — satellite imagery confirms the retreat.
- Cultural: Only art can inspire people to take action. The last living repository of Bengal's pre-Partition folk traditions is vanishing within a generation.
- The Connection: Both are UNESCO-recognised heritage. Both face extinction. Both are being saved by the same communities.
What Makes This Unique
The only place on earth where:
- Epic ballads from Mymensingh Geetika are still performed in living ritual
- Climate adaptation and cultural preservation happen as one integrated movement
- Traditional ecological knowledge drives modern conservation science
- Hindu–Muslim–tribal communities unite through syncretic forest worship
- Artists are also environmental activists
This isn't just a festival. It's a model for climate-conscious cultural identity.
The Organisation Behind It: Breathing Roots
Led by acclaimed folk singer Saurav Moni, Breathing Roots is born from the delta itself — a grassroots collective of fisherfolk, farmers, artists, and scientists refusing to watch their heritage disappear.
Our belief:
If our land is held firm by roots that breathe, its soul lives in the songs we sing.
We nurture both.
What We've Achieved (2020–2025)
The Living Green Wall
- 9.85 lakh mangrove saplings planted and thriving
- 6-kilometre protective corridor along Kalindi and Raimangal rivers
- 450+ families engaged — women-led nurseries, youth plantation teams
- 12 native species cultivated using traditional + scientific methods
- Extended to Howrah — Hooghly riverbank — saving river banks of AJC Bose Indian Botanic Garden (BSI)
Impact multipliers:
- Protection from increasing number of cyclones and high-crest tsunamis
- Climate jobs keeping families rooted, reducing migration
- 4× more carbon absorption than tropical forests
- Embankment stabilisation preventing erosion
- ₹6,000–8,000 annual income per family from fruit-yielding Keora trees
- Biodiversity restoration + salinity control
Cultural Renaissance
- 400+ folk artist families supported across Sundarbans fringe
- Documentation of endangered forms before elder masters pass
- Performance platforms that pay fairly and draw audiences
- Intergenerational transmission — youth reclaiming inherited art
- Art-driven activism — folk songs now spark mangrove conservation
The silent transformation: after Super Cyclone Amphan mowed Sundarbans down in 2020, we decided to act by planting mangroves that led to multifarious activities.
Our Collaborators
- Kelso Institute Europe – setting up a solar energy hub with community stakeholders
- Deeksha Education Trust – vocational training for local youth
- Bodhipath – traditional quilt and garment making empowering local women
Along with our mangrove project, our core mission is to stop youth migration, enable sustainable income generation and rediscover cultural practices — turning every home into our base.
The Festival Experience
Opening Ritual
Traditional worship of Bonbibi (forest goddess) and Dakshin Ray (Tiger God) — the syncretic spiritual foundation that has enabled human–tiger coexistence for centuries. This isn't performance. It's a living practice.
Performance Tapestry
Art forms found almost nowhere else on earth:
- Epic Narratives: Palagaan folk plays (Dukhe Jatra, Monoshar Bhasan, Nouko Bilash)
- Geetinatya ballads: Rakhal Bondhu, Sagar Bhasa, Kajal Rekha
- Regional Treasures: Bhatiali, Baul, Pally-geeti
- Kahar community dance (palanquin bearers)
- Tribal performances rarely seen publicly
- Putul-Naach (puppet theatre)
- Gajan, Kobi Gan, Jatra, Manik Peerer Gan
Every performance is a rescue operation. Every song defies extinction.
Immersive Components
- Residential Living: Authentic community experience — local resorts, lodges, handmade straw structures on festival grounds
- Free Medical Camp: Healthcare for locals living hours from such facilities
- Economic Activation: Marketplace for artisans, food makers, potters, weavers, generating festival-driven income
- Eco-Tourism: Guided 10 km Sundarbans forest-edge walks, active plantation site visits, sunset boat rides on Raimangal, Jhinga Forest Camp wildlife viewing
Attendees don't merely observe. They connect, understand, and return transformed.
The Opportunity
Recognition factors:
- UNESCO World Heritage Site (both ecological and cultural dimensions)
- Rare integration of climate science + traditional knowledge
- Measurable conservation outcomes tied to cultural programming
- Community-led model replicable globally
- International media interest in syncretic traditions surviving climate crisis
Festival footfall:
- Thousands annually — cultural scholars, school groups, international visitors
- Year-over-year growth trajectory
- High engagement – 4-day residential experience enables deep connection
An Invitation to Visionary Partners
What We've Proven
- Mangrove corridors protecting millions cannot be rebuilt once lost
- Folk traditions existing nowhere else vanish without platforms
- Climate-resilient communities need models that honour identity
The 2026 Festival is a pivotal moment.
Why This Partnership Matters
Environmental Leadership
- Measurable conservation impact – 6 km living wall, 9.85 lakh trees, 4× carbon sequestration
- Climate adaptation model combining modern science and indigenous wisdom
- Direct alignment with biodiversity and coastal protection mandates
Cultural Stewardship
- Preserving UNESCO-recognised intangible heritage
- Supporting last living repository of cross-border folk traditions
- Enabling intergenerational knowledge transmission
Community Empowerment
- Women-led economic programmes (nursery operations)
- Youth engagement preventing migration
- Healthcare access for underserved populations
- Local economic activation
Brand Positioning
- Association with a globally recognised heritage site
- Alignment with an authentic grassroots movement
- Visibility to culturally engaged, environmentally conscious audiences
- Legacy-building — being remembered as co-creators, not just sponsors
Festival Details
Dates: 28 January – 1 February 2026
Venue: 9km Park, Kalitala, Raimangal, Hingalganj, Sundarbans
Access:
- By Road: Taki–Hasnabad route from Kolkata (approx. 3 hours)
- By Water: Connecting points at Canning and Dhamakhali
Join the Story
The Sundarbans are calling — not as wilderness to admire from a distance, but as a living community inviting collaboration from those who understand what's at stake.
Mangrove by mangrove. Song by song. Generation by generation.
This is how we save what matters. This is where you become part of something essential.
To explore partnership or participation, please visit our Contact page or write to breathingroots.in@gmail.com.