Agra, Sep 29 (IANS): Writers, theatre artists and cultural troupes from South Asian nations will gather here for the four-day SAARC folklore and heritage festival that starts in the Taj city Friday.

It has been organised by the Foundation of SAARC Writers and Literature (FOSWAL) in collaboration with the external affairs ministry.

The main workshops, including academic seminars and poetry recital, will be held at hotel Grand, while folk performances will be held at St. Peter's College auditorium, local media coordinator for the foundation Vivek Jain said Wednesday.

While India will have the largest contingent of performers with 10 teams, Pakistan, Bhutan, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Nepal will send one team each. Sri Lanka will be sending two groups. These nations together make up the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) regional grouping.

Ajeet Caur, noted Punjabi and Hindi writer, is the FOSWAL president.