A first encounter with art.
Give rural children and young people the chance to experience live performances, discover new sounds and follow their curiosity.
The Dehati Fest An initiative of The Dehati Foundation
A community-funded initiativeLive events should reach beyond the city.
Villages need
a stage too.
Rooted in Sehore & Malwa, Madhya Pradesh
Art Music Community
One festival. Many possibilities.
The story behind the stageA stage for local talent.
Help emerging singers, musicians, poets and storytellers find an audience in the communities they call home.
A place to reconnect.
Bring people from villages and cities together through shared music, stories, conversations and cultural experiences.
The Dehati Foundation
Reconnecting people with the values of rural India by celebrating its art, culture, and traditions while promoting environmental awareness. As urbanization grows, many people have become disconnected from the importance of villages and nature. Nature continuously provides us with everything we need without asking for anything in return, yet increasing tree loss and environmental degradation are affecting rural communities. Through art, cultural engagement, and plantation initiatives, The Dehati Foundation aims to inspire communities and farmers to protect the environment, understand the importance of trees, and build a more sustainable future for the next generation.
Our Mission
Our goal is to reconnect individuals with their roots and help them experience the dignity, joy, and simplicity of rural life—free from hierarchy and discrimination. Through festivals, cultural programs, environmental initiatives, and community engagement, we strive to be a bridge between the soil and the soul.
For better education, healthcare, and employment opportunities, generations have moved from villages to cities. Over time, the glamour of urban life has overshadowed the value and significance of villages, making many people forget that villages remain the foundation of our society, culture, food systems, and environment. Today, “What is there in the village?” has become a common question.
While employment continues to drive migration, rural culture is also disappearing. Traditional forms of entertainment and community gatherings such as folk theatre, Ramlila, storytelling, and Kavi Sammelans are becoming increasingly rare. Along with cultural loss, villages are also facing environmental challenges, including the rapid cutting of trees and declining awareness about the importance of nature.
Nature silently provides us with everything we need—clean air, water, food, and livelihoods—yet we often fail to protect it. The Dehati Foundation believes that preserving rural culture and protecting the environment must go hand in hand. Through art, cultural events, awareness programs, and plantation drives, we aim to encourage communities and farmers to value their natural heritage, plant more trees, and build a sustainable future.
We must continue to speak about the importance of villages and nature from every platform, because if we lose our villages and our connection to the environment, we risk losing the roots that sustain us all.
“Art and nature together can reconnect people with their roots, their communities, and the environment that sustains them.”
Support Our Work
Your generosity helps us preserve rural culture, promote environmental awareness, organize plantation drives, and create opportunities for village communities to connect with art, nature, and a sustainable future.