Kartik fest set to go Suraj Kund way

The venue for the week-long Kartik Festival is the 18th century palace of Raja Nahar Singh at Ballabgarh, about 35 km from south Delhi.

The Government of Haryana recognised the tourism potential of the dilapidated fort a few years ago. The structure was renovated with the help of Francis Warcaiz and Amar Nath, known for their skill in the restoration of forts and palaces.

The Kartik Cultural Festival is going the same way as the Suraj Kund Crafts Mela, both in terms of its organisation and popularity. Just as Suraj Kund introduced a theme in the third year of its inception, the third Kartik festival this year, will be based on a special theme. “In the first two years, Kartik played up no particular theme and lacked a focus,” said Shashi Kant Misra, chairman, Haryana Tourism Promotion Board, and the guiding force behind both Suraj Kund and Kartik. “This year the main idea is to promote rural toys, village and khadi products and sarees.”

To make this festival as popular as Suraj Kund, Haryana Tourism has decided to fix November 15-21 as its annual dates from this year onwards.“We are hoping that the dates for the festival are included in all travel and tourism brochures.”

Last year, the festival attracted 83,265 visitors, a number which far exceeded that of the Suraj Kund Mela in its second year. This is enough reason for the organisers to be optimistic of its success. “Doubts about the viability were being raised when Suraj Kund Mela was started. Even now people are expressing similar apprehensions about Kartik. We can already visualise that Kartik will be equally, if not more, popular as the Suraj Kund Crafts Mela,” said Sanjay Kothari, Commissioner and Secretary Tourism, Haryana.

However, care has been taken not to turn Kartik into a second Suraj Kund Mela. “While the basic objective of Suraj Kund is to promote craftsmen, the main idea of Kartik is to keep alive dying performing arts like Nautanki, Tamasha, Raas Leela and Khyaal.” The festival will have cultural events spread over the day at four different venues.

While the Open Air Theatre will have the evening performances like Swaang and Tamasha, the main classical performances like Kathak by Aditi Magal Das, will be held inside the palace. The Municipal Auditorium will be host to several plays by the National School of Drama, including the much-awaited “Thank You, Baba Lochan Das,” a musical comedy on the man-woman relationship.

Two raised platforms are being used as stages for performances. While the main festival — which includes stalls with sarees, carpets, rural toys and products, magic shows, fireworks and festivity — is open to all, the entry is restricted for some of the special cultural events.