MUMBAI: The much-awaited Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival (MSLF) is back with its 14th edition and is set to run from 03rd to 07th February, 2023. Presenting a five-day programme and a cornucopia of sights, sounds and experiences, the festival celebrates Lucknow and the erstwhile Awadh region and its different historical and cultural aspects. Held at the historical monuments Safed Baradari and the Salempur House, the theme of the festival this year is Raqs-o-Mausiqi, through which the festival will explore the rich musical and dance traditions of Awadh. 

“We at Sanatkada put in a lot of effort and love into the festival and can assure that the audience will surely have a great time here and will return taking back memories of a lifetime. The festival has something for everybody and we are so excited to host you all!”, says Madhavi Kuckreja, founder of MSLF. 

The festival’s curation is governed by a theme every year, which allows the festival to take a deep dive into the different beautiful aspects of this historically & culturally rich region. Using oral, visual and experiential storytelling techniques, the festival celebrates the pluralistic, inclusive and unique traditions of the city.

This year, the festival is set to celebrate the rich musical and dance traditions of Awadh, a land of artists and their equally knowledgeable patrons and connoisseurs. This is the land that gave birth to Thumri and Khyaal styles of music, the land where Kathak, Sozkhwani & Marsiyakhwani not only flourished but reached the pinnacle of their artistic expressions. This is where Tabla, Sitar, Sarangi and Ghazals formed their inimitable quartet to wow millions, even to this day. Home to innumerable poets, musicians, and songwriters, it is no surprise that this region has contributed talents and made an indelible impact on the popular music of the Bollywood film industry as well. 

The festival will host several performances of indigenous musical and dance forms, apart from a well-researched, experiential exhibition on the theme. It will also host a series of panel discussions, workshops, art installations, storytelling sessions and films on the subject with the aim of not only documenting but also reintroducing the visitors to the fabulous artistic heritage of Awadh.

Organized by the Sanatkada Trust and supported by the Mahindra Group, the festival is dedicated to the memory of Late Ms. Indira Mahindra who continues to inspire the core values of the festival.“The Mahindra Sanatkada Lucknow Festival is built upon the very principles that Indira Mahindra lived by - to bring together people from all walks of life and celebrate the rich culture of our country” says Madhavi Kukreja, founder of the festival. 

The festival is a dip in the vastness that Lucknow is, with each and every aspect being celebrated. The Weaves and Crafts Bazaar showcases hand crafted products from over a 100 master artisans and weavers from all over the country, under a single roof. The Heritage Walks and Tours explore the various popular and sometimes unknown facets of this beautiful city. The Literary Guftgu brings in subject matter experts that underline the living heritage and culture of the city. The food stalls showcase the best culinary traditions of the city and the Sunday Home Cooked Food Festival is something that entices salivating visitors in dozens every year. Not to be left behind, the scintillating live performances, including the much-awaited Dawn Concert every year, bring in art lovers and aficionados from all walks of life to share an experience as a community. With workshops, discussions, films, theater, music, poetry, food, shopping, walks, book releases, exhibitions – This community mela has grown into this 5-day experience that draws in visitors by the thousands every year, both from within the city and from all over the country.

Artists and Performers this year: Avahan-The Band, Kathak performance by Shinjini Kulkarni, A lecture on ‘Music Archiving’ by noted archivist Irfan Zuberi, A Tabla performance by Pt. Anindo Chatterjee, Muzaffar Ali and Atul Tiwari in conversation on ‘Influence of Awadhi Awadhi-Lucknowi influence on Indian Cinema-films, music and songs’ and many more. 

Date: 3rd-7th February 2023
General entry: Open to all on a nominal registration fee.
The detailed artist line-up and programme will be announced soon.