LUCKNOW, June 24 -- The timeless verses and philosophy of medieval saint-poet Kabir are set to echo across eastern Uttar Pradesh later this week as a three-day cultural and literary festival brings together renowned folk singers, saints, scholars and artists in Maghar, Ghazipur and Varanasi. The 'Nirgun Tridhara Bhakti Utsav', organised by the Sant Kabir Academy, Maghar, from June 27 to 29, is expected to draw participants from across the country for a celebration of Kabir's enduring message of equality, spiritual awakening and social harmony. Planned around Kabir Jayanti celebrations, the festival aims to familiarise younger generations with the saint-poet's philosophy while offering a platform to practitioners of the Nirgun Bhakti tradition, whose influence continues to shape devotional music, literature and folk culture across India. The festival will commence on June 27 at the Sant Kabir Academy in Maghar, the town closely associated with Kabir's final years. The opening day will begin with a ceremonial procession, followed by performances by renowned artists, including Padma Shri awardee Kaluram Bamaniya, Baby Sisodiya Banjaran Sisters, Devendra Das Tana-Bana Group, Om Prakash Patel, Dinesh Kumar Jangde and Preeti Bamaniya. Organisers said the opening day will be dedicated to traditional Nirgun devotional music and folk performances inspired by Kabir's teachings. On June 28, the festival will shift to Kabir Math at Belsadi in Ghazipur, where artists and spiritual practitioners from across the country will present performances and discourses centred on Kabir Vani and the wider Nirgun Bhakti tradition. Padma Shri Bheru Singh Chauhan will be among the featured performers at the event, which is expected to draw devotees, cultural enthusiasts and researchers interested in India's saint traditions. One of the festival's major highlights will be a two-day national seminar at Lahartara in Varanasi on June 28 and 29. Titled "Kabir's Legacy: From Kashi to Maghar," the seminar will bring together historians, academicians, literary scholars and researchers from across the country to explore the saint-poet's enduring influence....