Lucknow Mahotsav 2018: All you need to know about our favourite carnival!

Lucknow Mahotsav, the grandest festivity of the state capital, the most awaited event of the entire year and Lucknow’s welcome party for the winters, is back!

Lucknow Mahotsav is the event that celebrates Lucknow like no other. It is the amalgamation of everything that the Lucknowis love, food, fun and shopping. This event that brings Awadhi culture to the fore-front also helps the people of Lucknow get accustomed to the cultures of other cities and states through various stalls, including food, clothing and handicrafts.

Organized from November 25 to December 5 in Smriti Upvan Park, Ashiyana, this year’s event is expected to be bigger and better than its predecessors. Dedicated to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the carnival will also have a special art gallery where pictures of the former prime minister, his favorite music and books will be displayed. Many of his speeches will also be relayed to the audience through various audio-visual media.

Attractions

Light and Sound Show: A special light and sound show on the life of Atal ji will be one of the main attractions in the carnival, and it will cover the entire journey of his life. From Pokhran tests, construction of golden quadrilateral, the Kargil war to the Lahore Bus journey, every prominent event of Atal ji’s life will be portrayed in the show.

Cultural Evenings: The carnival that celebrates and captures the essence of Lucknow will have several performances by emerging local and folk artists and well-loved celebrities. Guru Randhawa is set to perform on the Punjabi Night, Javed Ali on the Sufi Night, whereas Malini Awasthi will perform on the Awadhi Night of the carnival.

The Mahotsav will also host a kavi sammelan and mushaira, where beautiful and thought provoking poems will mesmerize the audience.

SCHEDULE

Events at the Cultural Pandal

The carnival will also have several fun events organized around the city including a vintage car rally, rifle shooting, national wrestling and ikka-tonga race among many others.

Events across the city

Stalls: This year’s Lucknow Mahotsav will feature 200 commercial stalls, 55 food stalls, 33 pavilions and 40 kiosks for ice cream and beverages. The food as usual will be of different regions and states with a special focus on Rajasthani cuisine. Since this year cleanliness is being given a lot of importance make sure to throw the trash in the bins and not litter.

Rides: Lucknow Mahotsav is known for its rides, they are the biggest attraction for kids and adults alike. This year we expect the rides to be much scarier and much bigger than the ones during previous carnival. Remember the rides are always extra and not included in the entry ticket, which is to be expected with a entry costing as less as 20 bucks.

Transportation: To make the commute to and from the carnival easier, UPSRTC has arranged for 100 special buses that will be operational between 10 AM to 9 PM. Several auto, OLA cabs, e-rickshaws have also been arranged for public convenience. If you plan to commute by your own vehicle another thing to note is, that the VIP section of the parking has been removed, now there will only be to types of parking: VVIP and Regular.

When: November 25 - December 5

Where: Smriti Upwan, Bangala Bazaar, Ashiana, Lucknow.

How Much: ₹20 for adults (free for kids, elderly and disabled), ₹100 for season tickets (only one entry per day)