Lucknow Mahotsav to stage a comeback after 5-year hiatus

While boating would be the new attraction at the Mahotsav, the 10-day event will be a kaleidoscope of performances by local/ international and Bollywood artistes, food stalls, mushairas, kavi sammelans, Yuva Mahotsav and other competitions

LUCKNOW Lucknow Mahotsav, the festival celebrating the state capital’s art and culture, is set to stage a comeback after five years. The cultural extravaganza would be organized at its old venue – the Kanshiram Smriti Upvan in Ashiana from November 25 to December 5, said officials.

Tourism department officials said the target is to set up 1,000 stalls of various products from across UP, besides stalls of handicrafts and artisans from various parts of the country. (File Photo/Sourced)

While boating would be the new attraction at the Mahotsav, the 10-day event will be a kaleidoscope of performances by local/ international and Bollywood artistes, food stalls, mushairas, kavi sammelans, Yuva Mahotsav and other competitions.

“If everything goes as per plan, the department of tourism will fund the Mahotsav and the district administration will organise it from November 25 to December 5 at the Kanshi Ram Smriti Upvan in Ashiana,” said Mukesh Meshram, principal secretary, tourism.

According to officials of the tourism department, the other major attractions would be Braj, Awadhi and Bundeli folk songs. Mahotsav tickets would be priced at ₹20 each, while the entry of children would be free.

Local/Mughlai cuisine, ekka-tonga race, vintage car rally, kabaddi, kite-flying, wrestling, drama competitions along with the Lucknow’s traditional crafts like chikankari, zardozi and silver foil work would also be an attraction for visitors, said officials.

“Lucknow Mahotsav has made a place on the cultural calendar of the country…it was not held for five years…and we missed it. I am happy that the event is staging a comeback,” said Sarvesh Asthana, noted poet of Lucknow.

Dastango Himanshu Bajpai said, “Any artiste would love to perform on the stage of Lucknow Mahotsav, which is at par with any other cultural event of the country. The Mahotsav represents the unique culture of Lucknow.”

Tourism department officials said the target is to set up 1,000 stalls of various products from across UP, besides stalls of handicrafts and artisans from various parts of the country. A special enclosure of ‘One District One Product’ is also planned.

President of Pragati Environment Protection Trust, Vinod Kumar Singh, who was organising the India Handicraft Festival for the last two years, had written to the tourism department seeking allotment of Kanshiram Smriti Upvan from November 30 to December 14. On this, the deputy director of tourism department Kalyan Singh said this time Lucknow Mahotsav is proposed to be organised at the venue in Ashiana from November 25 to December 5.