Wajid Ali Shah’s legacy links two cities in fest

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Lucknowites were enchanted by the play Bawli Betiyaan (BCCL/ Manas Mishra)

Lucknow’s historic landmarks, such as Safed Baradari, Raja Ram Pal Park and Amiruddaula Library, set the stage for the 17th Sanatkada Festival, themed Raabta: Lucknow–Calcutta Ka. Rooted in Nawab Wajid Ali Shah’s journey to Calcutta, the five-day festival explored shared histories through literature, music, exhibitions, food and an artisanal bazaar.

Dhaak performance by Gokul Das Dhaaki and group

Snapshot from the session Zaiqay Ka Safar

Cheyenne Olivier

The inauguration ceremony began with a Dhaki performance by Padma Shri awardee Gokul Chandra Das and his women’s troupe. Followed by the performance, the core team of the festival, Madhavi Kuckreja, Anuja Sharma, Naghma, Tasveer Hasan and Jai Shah, on stage, opened the theme for guests. Day one featured Where is My Friend’s House, a musical presentation in which Kathak dancer Shruti Ghosh narrated the chronicles of Awadh. Followed by the Murshidabadi Project, which presented Saat Maqaam Ishq Ke, a folk Sufi dastaan weaving the verses of several poets.

Shruti Ghosh during a story telling kathak performance

Nobel laureate Prof Abhijit Banerjee signed books

Tayyaba Haseen and Noor Aslam

Day two’s highlight was a literary session titled Chaunk- examining food, economy and society, where Abhijit Banerjee, Nobel Laureate and Indian-American Economist, was in conversation with illustrator Cheyenne Olivier at a packed Amiruddaula Library. Artist-researcher Soumyadeep Roy also presented Shahrashob, based on nine years of research on Wajid Ali Shah’s exile to Metiabruz. At the festival’s finale food session, Zaiqay Ka Safar: From Lucknow to Kolkata, Manzilat Fatima (Wajid Ali Shah’s great-great-granddaughter), Rajeev Lochan, and Sufia Kidwai joined host Saira Mujtaba to explore food, memory, and migration. Manzilat highlighted how Lucknow’s cuisine traveled east with exiled court chefs, emphasizing its nazakat and balance over excess flavors.— Amina Ashraf and Manas Mishra