Celebration of Culture & Crafts: Agra’s ‘Taj Carnival’ set to take flight with hot air balloon extravaganza

Commissioner of Agra division, Ritu Maheshwari, unveiled this exciting announcement at a press conference, shedding light on this innovative addition to the city’s event calendar.

AGRA After hosting successful ‘Sharadotsav’ events, Agra is about to embark on a new festival venture, ‘Taj Carnival,’ commencing on October 17 and lasting until November 10. The central attraction of this celebration will be a spectacular five-day hot air balloon ride.

Agra is already famed for its well-illustrated ten-day ‘Taj Mahotsav’ held in February, a festival of art, craft, and culture. (HT Photo)

Commissioner of Agra division, Ritu Maheshwari, unveiled this exciting announcement at a press conference, shedding light on this innovative addition to the city’s event calendar. Agra is already famed for its well-illustrated ten-day ‘Taj Mahotsav’ held in February, a festival of art, craft, and culture.

In addition to the renowned Taj Mahotsav in February, the city used to host ‘Sharadotsav’ in October, marking the beginning of the tourist season, which extended until March each year. The revival of this October extravaganza has been heartily welcomed by the local tourism industry.

To encourage maximum participation, entry to ‘Taj Carnival’ will be completely free of charge, as affirmed by the commissioner Agra division. Sharing further details, Ritu Maheshwari said, “Shilpgram will serve as the venue with 59 food stalls offering a delightful array of culinary experiences, featuring Braj, Rajasthani, Avadhi, Mughlai, Gujarati, and South Indian dishes to delight both tourists and locals attending Taj Carnival.”

The highlight of the event will be the five-day hot air balloon spectacle, kicking off on October 17 and running daily from 11 AM to 11 PM. Maheshwari emphasized that the objective is to enhance the length of stay for tourists in Agra, promoting holistic tourism development.

The ‘Taj Carnival’ will also showcase pottery, wood carving, local handicrafts, and a rich cultural dimension enriched by music, folk dances, and other engaging events. This year, recognised as the International Year of Millets, the carnival will host an exhibition of millet products.

Commissioner Agra Division expressed concern about the declining length of tourist stays in Agra, despite the city’s world-renowned monuments. In response, weekend night cultural activities have been initiated at Sadar Bazar, yielding positive results.

The festivities will continue with a ‘Dandia’ dance presentation organised at Zonal Park by the Agra Development Authority. A comprehensive publicity campaign is underway to promote ‘Taj Carnival,’ with full cooperation from Agra’s hotel industry, according to the commissioner of Agra division, accompanied by Avinash Mishra, joint director of U.P. Tourism.