An artistic medley at the Sanatkada Festival in Lucknow 2021

Sanatkada in Urdu means House of Art. The Sanatkada Festival, held annually in Lucknow, is a space where artisans, musicians, dancers, writers, poets, painters, historians, and filmmakers come together to celebrate the cultural heritage of Lucknow. In its 12th year the festival is set to open with a difference: most of the events have moved online.

The immensely popular and much awaited Sanatkada Festival of Lucknow has 'Naqsh-o-Nigaar-e-Baradari' as the theme for 2021. It aims to highlight and showcase the architectural beauty of the baradaris around the city. The theme chosen each year is showcased through heritage walks, cultural performances, films, panel discussions, and the much awaited crafts exhibition. This year, while some of these events remain physical, many will happen virtually.

Like every year, the Crafts and Weaves Bazaar will showcase products of artisans from across the country, but online. Kathak performances, talks and lectures on Lucknow’s history, crafts demonstration, and the game of Urdu couplets known as Bait Baazi, is also scheduled to happen virtually.

The virtual tours of the city include: Naqsh-o-Nigaar-e-Baradari, tour of several Baradaris in Lucknow, Husn-e-Karigari, tour of crafts and weaves in Lakhnavi by lanes, and War Chronicles with Samir Kher, a documented tour of The Residency showcasing the timeline of the war during 1857-1858. Among the physical tours, Avadhi Francisi Taaluqaat will showcase buildings, homes and monuments built or co-commissioned by the Frenchmen Claude Martin and Karvaan-e-Ghumakkadi.

The biggest draw of Sanatkada Festival every year is the home cooked Avadhi food. This year Naimat Khana, their in-house restaurant has the option of ordering in. If you want to experience the Avdhi hospitality, home cooked meals are also on offer at the Heritage Kothi Mall in Malihabad with a live qawalli session and at Qasba Itaunja at the banks of the Gomti with Jogi singers from Balrampur for company.

Sanatkada Festival is on from 1st - 12th February

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